A 36-year-old woman involved in a 2005 police chase that crisscrossed the island and snarled downtown traffic was in court Wednesday, admitting she sold several ounces of methamphetamine.
Malia Waters pleaded guilty in federal court in Honolulu to one charge relating to meth possession and distribution.
Before U.S. District Judge Leslie Kobayashi, Waters said she sold 2 ounces of meth to an undercover agent for $3,200 in Kalihi in September 2012. She also admitting selling 3 ounces of crystal meth to an undercover agent for $4,800 in Aiea in October 2012.
She faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine when she is sentenced in December.
Waters said outside of court that she pleaded guilty to move forward with her life.
"I need to take care of the wreckage of my past," she said.
On Dec. 15, 2005, Waters was a passenger in a stolen sedan that led police on a chase for about 90 minutes, starting in Punaluu and ending in Chinatown. Police pursued, but backed off to avoid a major collision and continued pursuing the vehicle by helicopter.
Waters’ boyfriend, Kelly Hager, was the driver, police said at the time.
Hager drove from Punaluu, over Likelike Highway, onto the H-1 freeway, past downtown, then turned around and drove to Kalihi and then Pearl City on H-1, police said. From Pearl City he drove back toward Kalihi along Nimitz Highway.
Police lost sight of the stolen car near the airport, but spotted it on Hotel Street.
Hager slammed into an SUV near Bethel and Hotel streets, flipping the SUV on its side.
Waters jumped out of the car and ran into the Ross Dress for Less store, where she was arrested. Hager also jumped out and ran into Indigo restaurant.
A police SWAT team found Hager hiding in the parking garage of a nearby building.
Hager pleaded no contest to driving a stolen vehicle, fleeing the scene of an accident, and drug offenses and was sentenced to five years in prison.
Waters pleaded guilty to three drug offenses and received 171 days in jail.
Waters was granted a deferred acceptance of her guilty plea in 2007 and would have had the conviction wiped off her record if she stayed out of trouble for five years. That deal was terminated in 2009 after she violated conditions of her probation.
