A 7-year-old Hilo boy injured a week ago when a car driven by a family acquaintance crashed into the living room of the family’s home remained hospitalized in stable condition as of Monday.
The driver of the vehicle, a Toyota Camry, was 71-year-old Wayne Okutsu, who had been arrested on suspicion of first-degree negligent injury but was released from police custody without charges being filed, pending further investigation.
Police are awaiting toxicology results to determine if Okutsu was driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, according to Hawaii Police Department spokeswoman Denise Laitinen.
Police are holding the Camry as evidence, Laitinen said.
Okutsu, according to court records, was convicted of driving while his license was suspended in 2018 and driving without a license twice in 2012. He pleaded no contest to DUI in 2006.
He had a valid driver’s license at the time of the crash, according to Laitinen.
According to police, officers responded shortly after 6 p.m. on Sept. 5 to a report of a traffic crash on the 1200 block of Kaumana Drive.
Arriving officers determined Okutsu was visiting an acquaintance and parked his car in front of the home. As he was leaving, he unintentionally drove into the house, crashing through the residence and striking the child.
The boy was taken by medics to the Hilo Benioff Medical Center, where he was diagnosed with substantial injuries.
Okutsu was uninjured, police said.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the police department’s nonemergency line at (808) 935-3311.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
