KAILUA-KONA — A 23-year-old Keaau man pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of negligent homicide in connection to a fatal moped crash that left a woman dead more than two years ago.
KAILUA-KONA — A 23-year-old Keaau man pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of negligent homicide in connection to a fatal moped crash that left a woman dead more than two years ago.
James Kapela Willis was indicted April 4 of this year by a Kona grand jury on one count each of first- and second-degree negligent homicide, both with the same victim, Mokihana Choy.
Originally pleading not guilty in April, Willis changed his plea in June. He pleaded guilty to second-degree negligent homicide, a class C felony.
The charge stemmed from an incident that occurred on May 26, 2015. Willis was operating a moped and had Choy, 29, of Kailua-Kona, as a passenger. According to the Hawaii Police Department, Willis was merging onto the southbound lane of Queen Kaahumanu Highway from Hualalai Road, when he attempted to merge between a dump truck and the trailer it was pulling.
According to police, the trailer ran over the moped. Neither rider was wearing a helmet. Choy was taken to The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu, however, she succumbed to her injuries on May 27.
Willis was treated for minor injuries at Kona Community Hospital. The operator of the dump truck was not injured.
In October, the court sentenced Willis to an indeterminate period of five years. The first-degree negligent homicide charge was dismissed with prejudice.
