Drunken driver imprisoned for dad’s death
Logan Awong, center, was sentenced yesterday to one year in prison and five years’ probation for a drunken-driving crash that killed his father last year. Deputy Prosecutor Kristine Yoo is standing at left and Awong’s attorney, Gary Oaks, is seated at right.
A 23-year-old Nanakuli man began serving a one-year prison term yesterday for a drunken-driving crash that killed his father last year.
Circuit Judge Dexter Del Rosario sentenced Logan Awong yesterday to five years’ probation for first-degree negligent homicide. The judge ordered the prison term as a condition of Awong’s probation.
"Any lesser sentence will depreciate the seriousness of the crime," he said.
Awong was facing a sentence of up to 10 years.
Del Rosario denied Awong’s request to serve his prison term on weekends so he can keep his job.
His boss at Island Movers, Timothy Learmont, told Awong he’ll have to submit his resignation but told him to reapply for his job when his jail term is over. Learmont said he doesn’t know whether Awong’s felony conviction will prevent re hiring him.
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Awong and his father, Jason Awong, were drinking on Jan. 23, 2009, when they decided to go to the store for more beer. The younger Awong got behind the wheel of a pickup truck; his father got into the front passenger seat.
Police said the truck was speeding on Haleakala Avenue when it hit a mailbox and a rock wall, knocked down a utility pole and hit a fire hydrant and tree before hitting another utility pole on the other side of the roadway.
An ambulance took Jason Awong, 39, to the Queen’s Medical Center in critical condition. He died the following day.
Logan Awong suffered minor injuries.
Police said he was drunk. His blood-alcohol content was 0.14. The threshold for drunken driving is 0.08.
"I am sorry for what I did. It was an extreme wake-up call. I lost my dad," Awong said.
Despite losing his son in the crash, Gilmore Awong expressed only concern for his grandson.
"We’re trying to help him as much as possible. Not because we’re his grandparents but also his parents," he said.
Awong said he and his wife adopted his grandson and three of his younger siblings when Logan was 10 years old.
Del Rosario said that, according to the court’s pre-sentence report, Logan Awong started drinking at a young age and that his drinking companion was often his father.
