Sione Tilini is free on bail with his trial set for July 29.
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A 26-year-old Kaneohe man is scheduled to be tried at the end of the month on charges of killing a woman while allegedly driving drunk in an early morning collision near Kaaawa Elementary School last year.
Sione Tilini entered a plea of not guilty in Circuit Court on Friday on charges of drunken driving and first-degree negligent homicide in the death of Rene Nihipali on June 30, 2012. His trial is scheduled for July 29.
Tilini is free after posting $15,000 bail.
Authorities said Tilini was driving a 2012 Jeep Compass when he crossed the centerline on Kamehameha Highway and slammed head-on into a pickup truck, killing Nihipali, 49.
Tilini was arrested at the scene on suspicion of drunken driving and first-degree negligent homicide and released pending investigation.
Police said a front-seat passenger and a rear-seat passenger of the Jeep were taken to a hospital for treatment.
Nihipali, who was wearing a seat belt, was driving a 1994 Dodge Dakota pickup toward Kaneohe when the Jeep, heading in the opposite direction, crossed the double solid line, police said.
Nihipali had left a family reunion camp at Hauula Beach Park in Kaaawa to go to her job in customer service at Hawaiian Airlines at Honolulu Airport.
She was pronounced dead at the scene after the 4:40 a.m. crash, which occurred about 0.2 miles south of Kaaawa Place, police said.
Tilini had several violations in 2008 for drinking liquor in public parks in Hilo and was fined $75 for each one. He also has three criminal misdemeanor contempt violations.