HILO — A 22-year-old Keaau man pleaded not guilty Wednesday to negligent homicide charges in a fatal collision between a moped and dump truck almost two years ago in Kailua-Kona.
Acting Hilo Circuit Judge Henry Nakamoto set trial for James Kapela Willis at 9 a.m. July 18 in Kona Circuit Court.
Willis was indicted April 4 by a Kona grand jury on one count each of first- and second-degree negligent homicide, both with the same victim, Mokihana Choy.
First-degree negligent homicide is a Class B felony punishable by up to 10-years imprisonment upon conviction, while second-degree negligent homicide is a Class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison.
The first-degree negligent homicide charge is because authorities suspect Willis was under the influence of drugs when the collision occurred, according to Deputy Prosecutor Stephen Frye.
The state can convict Willis on only one of the offenses, not both.
Willis was in custody for his brief court appearance. Nakamoto maintained Willis’ bail at $10,000.
Choy, a 29-year-old Kailua-Kona woman, was a passenger on a moped operated by Willis.
Police say that at about 10 p.m. May 26, 2015, Willis was merging onto the southbound lane of Queen Kaahumanu Highway from Hualalai Road when he pulled the vehicle onto the road between the dump truck and the trailer it was towing. The trailer then ran over the moped.
Willis, then 21 and living in Kailua-Kona, and Choy were taken to Kona Community Hospital.
Choy had critical head injuries and was later flown to The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu, where she died at 12:34 p.m. the following day.
Willis sustained only minor injuries.
The dump truck driver was uninjured.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.