A 37-year-old Japanese national was arrested yesterday in connection with a Sunday traffic accident in Kailua that killed one man and critically injured another.

The dead man was identified yesterday as Eric Souza, 46, of Pearl City.

Jiro Matsunaga of Tokyo was arrested at 5:25 p.m. at a Waikiki hotel for investigation of one count of third-degree negligent homicide and first-degree negligent injury.

Third-degree negligent homicide is a misdemeanor, while negligent injury is a class C felony.

Matsunaga was booked at the main police station on Beretania Street and released without charges pending further investigation.

Matsunaga is suspected of being the driver of a Kailua-bound rental van that veered suddenly from the right lane to the left lane of Kailua Road near Uluoa Street in an attempt to make a U-turn.

As the van began to make the turn at about 2:10 p.m., two motorcycles, which were among five heading in the same direction, slam- med into the van, police said.

Souza, who was driving one of the motorcycles, was taken to Castle Medical Center, where he died. The driver of the second motorcycle, a 43-year-old Kalihi man, remained in critical condition yesterday at The Queen's Medical Center.

Police said neither motorcyclist was wearing a helmet. The crash remains under investigation and police are looking into whether speed was a factor on the part of the motorcyclists.

Souza's death was the 24th traffic fatality on O'ahu so far this year. Nine of those killed were operating motorcycles.