A Hawaii County employee whose job title is “safety and driver improvement coordinator” for the Department of Environmental Management’s Solid Waste Division was arrested in the early morning of Dec. 21 after allegedly crashing a vehicle into a utility pole in Hilo.
Steven Hoolahui Kalilikane Jr., 43, of of Hilo was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. He was released from custody after posting $100 bail and is scheduled to appear in Hilo District Court on Jan. 18, according to a police log.
“Police responded to single-vehicle traffic collision of a vehicle that had struck a utility pole in the 200 block of Kekuanaoa Street in Hilo at about 1:47 a.m. on December 21, 2024,” police spokeswoman Denise Laitinen said in an email. “Kalilikane, the operator of the vehicle, was arrested and charged for (operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant).”
Laitinen declined to disclose Kalilikane’s blood-alcohol content when arrested and charged, citing police general orders. The legal threshold for intoxication while operating a vehicle is 0.08% BAC.
The Administrative Driver’s License Revocation Office reviewed the incident and on Dec. 27 suspended Kalilikane’s license for a year.
Kalilikane was named the Solid Waste Division’s Employee of the Year in 2020. A press release announcing his selection didn’t specify why he was honored, but ended with the sentence, “The Solid Waste Division would like to thank all employees that have contributed to the safety, service and hard work required to provide the essential services to the people of Hawaii County.”
The Tribune-Herald inquired about whether Kalilikane can coordinate safety and driver improvement for the Solid Waste Division while legally barred from driving.
“As a matter of policy, we do not comment on personnel matters,” Wesley Segawa, DEM’s director replied in an email. “However, we are committed to thoroughly reviewing the situation and, once all relevant facts are gathered, will evaluate the appropriate course of action in accordance with our policies.”
According to court records, Kalilikane was arrested on Dec. 28, 2017, while riding a motorcycle and charged with inattention to driving, driving without a license and insurance, obstructed license plate, delinquent vehicle weight tax, no current safety check and registration not with vehicle.
He pleaded no contest and paid a fine.
Other traffic related convictions include: speeding, for driving 62 mph in a 45 mph zone on May 25, 2004; not wearing a seat belt and driving without insurance on Jan. 22, 2004; not wearing a seat belt on March 21, 2002; and running a stop sign on Oct. 9, 2000.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
