A 21-year-old Naalehu man recently pleaded guilty to negligent homicide and injury charges stemming from a 2008 Ka’u traffic crash that killed a 12-year-old boy. A 21-year-old Naalehu man recently pleaded guilty to negligent homicide and injury charges stemming from
A 21-year-old Naalehu man recently pleaded guilty to negligent homicide and injury charges stemming from a 2008 Ka‘u traffic crash that killed a 12-year-old boy.
Kevin R. Galigo pleaded guilty May 18 to second-degree negligent homicide and first-degree negligent injury in connection with the Nov. 11, 2008, crash that left Naalehu resident Blaycen Jara dead and another man injured, according to 3rd Circuit Court records.
Galigo will be sentenced July 13 by 3rd Circuit Court Chief Judge Ronald Ibarra. He was slated to go on trial June 26.
According to police, Jara was one of two passengers in a sedan driven by Galigo on Kamaoa Road when Galigo apparently lost control of the vehicle and then hit a utility pole and overturned. Galigo was 17 years old at the time.
Jara and Galigo were transported to Kona Community Hospital where Jara died several hours later. The other passenger, an 18-year-old Naalehu man, was transported to Hilo Medical Center for treatment.
None was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, according to police.
Galigo was indicted Feb. 17 by a Big Island grand jury on first-degree negligent homicide and first-degree negligent injury, according to court records.
Second-degree negligent homicide and first-degree negligent homicide are class C felonies punishable by a fine up to $10,000 and five years imprisonment, according to Hawaii Revised Statutes.
