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A 24-year Honolulu police veteran who struck a 61-year-old woman with a motor vehicle while driving drunk pleaded no contest in District Court yesterday.
Boyd Kamikawa entered the plea to charges that he negligently injured the pedestrian, drove while under the influence of alcohol and twice drove after his license had been revoked.
Kamikawa, 54, could have been sentenced for those offenses right away, but at his request, District Judge William Cardwell scheduled sentencing for May. Kamikawa’s lawyer, Jonathan Burge, told the judge his client is enrolling in an outpatient substance abuse treatment program.
Kamikawa faces mandatory penalties for the DUI charge and driving with a revoked license.
He could be sentenced to up to a year in jail and a $2,000 fine for the misdemeanor negligent injury. However, his lawyer indicated Kamikawa will be asking for a deferral of his no-contest plea, which, if granted, will give him the opportunity to clear the charge from his criminal record.
The DUI and negligent injury charges came after Kamikawa hit the pedestrian on April 24 in downtown Honolulu. The 61-year-old pedestrian suffered minor injuries.
His arrest for DUI prompted an automatic license revocation, which the state Administrative Drivers License Revocation Office affirmed May 18 after a hearing.
Police caught Kamikawa driving on July 29 and again on July 30.
Mandatory penalties for DUI are a one-year license revocation enforced with an ignition interlock device and one or more of the following: 72 hours of community service, two to five days in jail and a fine of between $150 and $1,000.
For driving the first time with a revoked license, the mandatory penalties are three to 30 days in jail, a fine of between $250 and $1,000 and license revocation for an additional year. For Kamikawa’s second offense, the mandatory penalties are 30 days in jail, a $1,000 fine and license revocation for an additional two years.
The Police Department said it has stripped Kamikawa of his police powers, restricting him to desk duty, and is conducting an administrative investigation into his conduct.
