Police were looking for witnesses in a hit-and-run motorcycle accident that left a 24-year-old Honolulu man dead and shut Moanalua Freeway for about three hours early yesterday morning.

The man was identified as Chad Morimatsu.

Police Lt. Darren Izumo said the motorcyclist was traveling the wrong direction on the freeway's west-bound lanes on Red Hill when the motorcycle went out of control. The man fell onto the road and was hit by at least one car, which did not stop, Izumo said.

Izumo said it was not immediately clear if the man was dead when he fell off the motorcycle. Police said the man was wearing a helmet.

Police received a call at 3:13 a.m. and found the motorcyclist's body on the freeway pavement 387 feet west of the Ala Kapuna Street overpass on Red Hill.

Police investigators said the man had been operating a 2004 Yamaha R-1 motorcycle and may have been speeding when he lost control. It was not known if alcohol or drugs were contributing factors in the crash.

Honolulu Emergency Services Department spokesman Bryan Cheplic said the man was pronounced dead at 3:54 a.m.

Police reopened the west-bound lanes of Moanalua Freeway about 6:30 a.m.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Honolulu CrimeStoppers program at 955-8300.