A 70-year-old Hilo man accused of killing an elderly cyclist Tuesday morning in a hit-and-run collision might have struck the victim intentionally with his pickup truck.
According to court documents filed by police, Carlton Inada initially told officers he didn’t see the 79-year-old victim, Barbara Klein, who was unresponsive at the crash scene on Akolea Road near Waianuenue Avenue in Hilo.
Klein, a respected longtime aikido instructor in Hilo, was pronounced dead at 10:26 a.m. Tuesday at Hilo Medical Center.
After being advised of his rights and electing to make a statement, Inada allegedly told officers he had a clear view of Klein — who was pedaling a recumbent tricycle in the middle of the southbound lane — and struck her intentionally with his 2016 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck to teach her a lesson for “just going slow all the time.”
Inada, who is charged with second-degree negligent homicide and leaving the scene of the collision, called police from his home to report the the fatal traffic crash afterward. He admitted he did not stop or render aid to Klein after the collision, according to the documents.
Police reportedly found a portion of the Tacoma’s front bumper and its license plate at the crash scene, and the documents state a diagram of the crash site indicates Klein’s recumbent trike — a bike with a lower profile and a reclined seat — traveled approximately 109 feet after impact.
An officer observed “a large amount of empty unknown prescription medication” on a table at Inada’s home, according to the documents, and a search warrant was obtained to draw Inada’s blood.
As of Thursday, there were no toxicology results in the publicly available documents.
At Inada’s initial court appearance Thursday, Deputy Public Defender Jauwon Barron asked Hilo District Judge Kanani Laubach to free Inada on supervised release — a form of cashless bail — or to reduce his $100,000 bail.
“He was arrested at home in a vehicle, a home which he lived at for 30 years. He was cooperative with officers. And at his home, he has a land-line, which is his primary way of contacting others,” Barron said.
“Mr. Inada does not work; he’s retired. He receives roughly $800 a month in Social Security. After talking to Mr. Inada and learning the facts, I don’t believe he’s a risk, at all, of not attending court,” Barron continued. “And as part of supervised release, we’d just simply ask the court to impose a restriction that Mr. Inada not be allowed to drive or operate a vehicle, Your Honor.”
Deputy Prosecutor Herbert Mukai objected to cashless bail or bail reduction for Inada.
“The state’s position is that Mr. Inada presents a significant risk to the safety of the public. That is based on the egregiousness of Mr. Inada’s decision-making and actions on Oct. 3, 2023,” Mukai said. “… Those actions resulted in the death of Ms. Barbara Klein, the victim.
“But for Mr. Inada’s actions that day, the state’s position is that Ms. Klein may still be with us here today.”
Laubach denied the defense motion and maintained Inada’s bail at $100,000.
The judge addressed Inada, noting that District Family Judge Jeffrey Ng had increased the bail set by prosecutors from $25,000 to $50,000 for the negligent homicide charge, which is a Class C felony carrying a potential five-year prison sentence, and from $10,000 to $50,000 for leaving the scene, a Class B felony with a maximum 10-year prison term.
“I’m not going to touch that bail amount. I think the amount that’s set is appropriate in regards to the facts listed in the (documents),” Laubach said. “I am going to find that probable cause exists for further detention.”
Laubach ordered Inada to return Monday for a preliminary hearing.
Inada remains in custody at Hawaii Community Correctional Center.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
