HILO — Police arrested the 30-year-old driver of a van that collided with a pickup truck in Puna on Thursday night, killing one person. ADVERTISING HILO — Police arrested the 30-year-old driver of a van that collided with a pickup
HILO — Police arrested the 30-year-old driver of a van that collided with a pickup truck in Puna on Thursday night, killing one person.
Justin James Clark of Pahoa was arrested on suspicion of DUI, driving without a license and driving without insurance. Police believe speed and alcohol were factors in the crash, and a negligent homicide investigation also was opened.
After consultation with prosecutors, Clark was released from custody pending further investigation on matters pertaining to the fatal crash. He was, however, served warrants charging him with failure to appear and five counts of contempt of court for missing a date in traffic court and, according to a police spokeswoman, was unable to post $1,200 bail.
Clark who was treated and released from Hilo Medical Center for unspecified injuries, remained in custody Friday evening at Hawaii Community Correctional Center.
According to police, officers responding to a 6:54 p.m. call determined that a 2004 Ford pickup truck was Kalapana-bound on Highway 130 between Leilani Avenue and Malama Street and had been making a U-turn on the roadway when it was struck by a 1998 Pahoa-bound Ford passenger van driven by Clark.
The 50-year-old man who was killed was a back-seat passenger in the pickup truck. He was pronounced dead at Hilo Medical Center at 7:55 p.m.
Police on Monday morning identified the victim as 37-year-old Michael Simmons of O’Brien, Oregon.
An adult female back-seat passenger in the pickup was taken to Hilo Medical Center, as was a 65-year-old Pahoa woman who was a back-seat passenger in the van. A 7-year-old Pahoa girl, a front-seat passenger in the van, was flown to Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children in Honolulu.
Police said all three remained in the hospitalized Friday in stable condition.
The driver of the pickup, a 74-year old Pahoa woman, was treated for her injuries at the scene.
According to court records, Clark was sentenced May 29, 2014, to four years probation for second-degree arson after torching a vacant Hawaiian Acres home on April 6, 2013, and for possessing drug paraphernalia in a separate case. In return for his no contest pleas, prosecutors dropped a charge of third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and reduced a first-degree arson charge.
Police ask anyone who witnessed the crash to call Officer Erhard Autrata at 961-8118. Those who prefer anonymity may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300.
This is the first traffic fatality this year compared to none at this time last year.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
