For those in Hawaii who travel by automobile, there are a number of responsibilities that come with the privilege of driving. Drivers must take care to ensure that they are behaving in a manner that protects the safety of those around them. Reckless drivers, who fail to act in a manner consistent with such care, can cause accidents that can injure or even kill others with whom they share the road. Such appears to be the case in a recent incident in which a pedestrian was killed.
At or around 6:15 a.m. on a recent Tuesday, a 60-year-old woman was attempting to cross a street in Lihu’e. She was walking in a designated crosswalk when she was struck by a truck. The driver of that vehicle stopped to render aid. Shortly thereafter, a second vehicle that was traveling in the outside lane also struck the woman. The driver of that vehicle did not stop at the scene.
The woman was unable to survive her injuries and died at the scene of the accident. There is no report on whether her death took place before or after she was hit for a second time. Police were able to locate the second driver, and both drivers have been arrested and charged in the matter. The first driver faces charges of negligent homicide, while the second is being charged with driving without a license and accident involving death or serious injury.
For the family of the Hawaii woman killed by these allegedly reckless drivers, news of the criminal charges in the case may come as a relief. If the court finds that the two drivers exhibited negligence or failed to act in a responsible way, one or both could be held criminally accountable for the resulting death. Should they decide to do so, the family could also move forward with a wrongful death action against one or both drivers, which could help recover some of the costs associated with their loss.
Source: hawaiinewsnow.com, “Police locate second vehicle involved in fatal pedestrian crash“, , Oct. 7, 2014