Question: Whatever happened to the people who survived that horrible accident involving former University of Hawaii football star Colt Brennan?
Answer: The Hawaii County prosecutor’s office has decided against pursuing first-degree negligent injury charges against Brennan’s then-girlfriend, Shakti Stream, the driver of the Toyota 4Runner that struck a Saab driven by Dr. Theresa Wang Nov. 19, 2010, on Hawaii island.
The Hawaii County prosecutor’s office said in a news release there was insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt the charges of first-degree negligent injury.
Deputy Prosecutor Kimberly Taniyama on Wednesday would not specify what evidence was insufficient.
The prosecutor’s announcement last week came as the case neared reaching the three-year statute of limitation for charging first-degree negligent injury.
Stream was driving northbound on Queen Kaahumanu Highway when the 4Runner crossed the center line and collided with the southbound Saab about 3 miles north of the airport in Kona.
In 2011, Wang filed a lawsuit against Stream. Attorney Ian Mattoch, who represents Wang, said Wednesday he felt the prosecutor made an “unfortunate decision.”
Mattoch said while Wang and her husband, David Chen, did not want Stream to go to jail, they felt she should be required to perform community service.
Wang, 50, who was a Waikoloa physician at the time of the accident, has undergone at least a half-dozen surgeries for injuries, including spinal fractures, broken ribs, swelling in the brain, a collapsed lung, and broken bones in both arms and legs.
She’s also undergone extensive rehabilitation, physical therapy and speech and cognitive therapy.
In a blog about Wang at hulaterri.blogspot.com, her husband recalls how she underwent treatment for brain injury problems, including severe sleep apnea and a reduction in HGH or human growth hormone levels.
Wang has become an advocate for establishing a brain injury rehabilitation center in Hawaii and spoke about her “healing journey” at a brain injury conference in Honolulu in 2012, Chen said.
Attorney Michael Green, who is representing Brennan, said depositions taken several months ago showed Brennan, who was a passenger in the vehicle Stream was driving, had nothing to do with the accident.
Brennan, 30, who suffered cracked ribs in the accident, has recovered. He was assigned in late October to the arena football team LA KISS. Brennan was cut last year from the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League.
The accident drew a considerable amount of news media attention because of Brennan’s stellar record while playing with the UH football team, finishing in the top 10 as a Heisman trophy candidate twice.
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This update was written by Gary Kubota. Suggest a topic for “Whatever Happened To …” by writing Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-210, Honolulu 96813; call 529-4747; or email cityeditors@staradvertiser.com.
