Bail reinstated for Aholelei

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A man accused killing a bicyclist in a traffic collision is back in custody after a preliminary hearing on Tuesday.

A man accused killing a bicyclist in a traffic collision is back in custody after a preliminary hearing on Tuesday.

Hilo District Judge Harry Freitas found that probable cause exists to try 27-year-old Siaiku Lucky Aholelei on manslaughter and first-degree negligent homicide charges. He ordered Aholelei to appear before Hilo Circuit Judge Greg Nakamura for arraignment.

Aholelei is accused of losing control of his pickup truck shortly before noon Friday on Volcano Highway (Route 11) near Kamehameha Schools-Hawaii in Keaau, crossing two lanes of oncoming traffic and striking 66-year-old Cenon Visaya of Keaau, who was riding his bike on the shoulder in the Hilo-bound direction. Visaya was dead at the scene, police said.

Aholelei had been free on $25,000 bail after a paperwork mix-up on the manslaughter charge caused Hilo District Judge Barbara Takase to revoke $250,000 bail on that charge.

Freitas reinstated the $250,000 bail on the manslaughter charge, and Aholelei was taken back into custody following Tuesday afternoon’s proceedings.

For more details on this story, see Wednesday’s edition of the Tribune-Herald.