Police ID teen killed by suspected drunken driver in Waikoloa Village
Big Island police have identified the 13-year-old Waikoloa girl killed Thursday evening after being struck by a vehicle while walking on a sidewalk in Waikoloa Village.
The 13-year-old was identified Friday evening as Augustina James. Her name was withheld until shortly before 5 p.m. while Hawaii Police Department officers worked to notify her mother who lives in an area of Ocean View that has bad cell phone service.
Responding to a 6:36 p.m. call, police determined that a black 2007 Honda Accord four-door sedan was heading south on Iwikuamo’o Drive when it drove off of the roadway and onto the sidewalk near the road’s intersection with Kamakoa Drive . The vehicle then struck James, who was walking with a teenage male friend. The vehicle lost control and rolled over several times into a vacant lot.
The 13-year-old girl was transported to the Kona Community Hospital where she was later pronounced dead at 11:38 p.m.
The girl’s friend was transported to North Hawaii Community Hospital for treatment and was later released.
The driver of the Honda Accord sedan, 21-year-old Jaychris Romer of Waikoloa, and his 16-year-old male passenger also from Waikoloa were taken to North Hawaii Community Hospital for treatment. Both were treated and later released.
Romer was later arrested for first-degree neglifent homicide, operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant and driving without a license. He was later released pending further investigation and toxicology results.
Police do believe that speed and impairment are possible factors in the collision.
An autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.
Anyone who may have witnessed the crash to contact Officer Jason Foxworthy at (808) 326-4646, ext. 229, or email at Jason.foxworthy@hawaiicounty.gov.
This is the 25th traffic fatality this year compared to 14 at this time last year.
See tomorrow’s edition of West Hawaii Today for a full story.
Original story:
A 13-year-old Waikoloa girl was killed Thursday evening after being struck by a vehicle while walking on a sidewalk in Waikoloa Village.
The 13-year-old female has been positively identified, but her name is being withheld since she is a juvenile, according to the Hawaii Police Department.
Responding to a 6:36 p.m. call, police determined that a black 2007 Honda Accord 4 door sedan was heading south on Iwikuamo’o Drive when it drove off of the roadway and onto the sidewalk near the road’s intersection with Kamakoa Drive . The vehicle then struck the 13-year-old female pedestrian and her teenage male friend. The vehicle lost control and rolled over several times into a vacant lot.
The 13-year-old girl was transported to the Kona Community Hospital where she was later pronounced dead at 11:38 p.m.
The driver of the Honda Accord sedan, a 21-year-old male of Waikoloa and his 16-year-old male passenger also from Waikoloa were taken to North Hawaii Community Hospital for treatment. The driver and passenger of the Honda Accord sedan were treated and later released.
The 21-year-old male driver was later arrested for first-degree neglifent homicide, operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant and driving without a license. He currently remains in custody while the investigation is continuing.
Police do believe that speed and impairment are possible factors in the collision.
An autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.
Anyone who may have witnessed the crash to contact Officer Jason Foxworthy at (808) 326-4646, ext. 229, or email at Jason.foxworthy@hawaiicounty.gov.
This is the 25th traffic fatality this year compared to 14 at this time last year.
