A witness to a fatal hit-and-run accident in Kaneohe last weekend said Friday she was repeatedly threatened by two men she said were in the pickup truck that killed Matthew Fragas.
Mark K. Salangdron, of an Iroquois Avenue address, was charged Thursday with fleeing the scene of an accident and extortion. His bail was set at$250,000.
Police said Elijah Kawai-Aweau, 25, also was in the truck driven by Salangdron on June 2 that struck the 25-year-old victim. He was charged with hindering prosecution and was being held in lieu of $150,000 bail.
Both men made their initial court appearance Friday before District Judge Leslie Hayashi. Their preliminary hearings will be at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in District Court.
In a police affidavit filed in court Friday, police said a witness told officers that the two men had been drinking with friends June 1 at a Kaneohe home near Coral Kingdom.
When the witness left the party at 2 a.m. June 2, Salangdron and Kawai-Aweau "appeared intoxicated," had a hard time walking, and their speech was slurred.
The witness said she asked Salangdron whether he could drive, and he responded that he could.
Salangdron got into the driver’s seat of a gray pickup truck with Kawai-Aweau and another man as passengers.
The witness said Salangdron "started to burn rubber at the entrance to the street" and was driving fast, weaving all over Kahekili Highway. She estimated that Salangdron was going 60 mph.
The witness said she saw a man, later identified as Fragas, jump into the path of the truck and get hit. She said the victim was shirtless and wore blue shorts.
The witness said Salangdron did not slow down and continued driving toward H-3 freeway. She said she followed the truck, pulled up alongside it and yelled at Salangdron to turn around since he had hit someone.
She said Salangdron yelled back, "You guys not say nothing. You better not say anything. We gotta go."
Salangdron also allegedly told the witness, "You not going back. If you do, you better watch out."
That made the witness fearful of Salangdron, the police affidavit said.
The witness said that on the night of June 2, after the accident, Salangdron called her and said, "I know you’re the only witness, so you better not open your mouth. Do you understand? Do you want something to happen to you? You better not say anything."
The witness also said Kawai-Aweau approached her at her workplace at a Kapolei water park on the morning of June 3, asking whether she was OK.
The witness said she told Kawai-Aweau to do the right thing.
He replied, "No. No one better not say anything. I going call a meeting with everyone that was there. Whatever Mark says, I will enforce it. If I find out you went talk to the police, I’m coming after you."
The witness said on the night of June 3, Kawai-Aweau called her saying, "If you open your mouth, there will be consequences. If you say anything, the consequences will be put into action. If the cops come, we going to know it was you, and we are coming after you."
Another witness also told police that he saw the pickup truck driven by Salangdron hit Fragas.
The second witness said he has been avoiding Salangdron and Kawai-Aweau because he fears them.
Police said Fragas had been arguing with his wife before the accident.
Fragas’ father said he told his son to leave their home "to cool off," and he saw him walk toward Kahekili Highway.
The medical examiner determined that Fragas died of head injuries caused by a motor vehicle collision. He was pronounced dead at the scene on Kahekili Highway near Ahuimanu Place at 2:40 a.m. June 2.
