Man jailed in crash that injured woman

A Kauai Circuit Court judge sentenced a 40-year-old Koloa man to a year in jail in connection with a one-vehicle collision that crushed the pelvis of a Kapaa woman and mangled her leg.

Circuit Judge Randal Valenciano also revoked Jason Dameron’s driver’s license Thursday for five years and ordered him to pay more than $262,000 in restitution to the victim, Jessica Arps.

On April 4, 2014, Dameron drove a vehicle that struck Arps, then 26, as she stood next to her vehicle at the Menehune Fishpond lookout in Lihue.

Dameron’s blood alcohol level was 0.215, nearly three times the 0.08 legal limit. His young daughter was in the vehicle at the time of the accident. A county spokesman said the girl did not suffer any injuries.

Dameron was convicted of driving under the influence of an intoxicant in 2003 and of inattention to driving in 2005.

Alleged thief is in custody

A 30-year-old Hilo man is in custody after he allegedly stole a tractor-trailer and then hit two vehicles and a house before he was detained by several people Wednesday.

The incident began at about 7 p.m. when the suspect took the tractor-trailer and its contents from a business on Makaala Street in Hilo and was seen driving through a closed gate, police said.

Witnesses told police the suspect struck a vehicle and ran another vehicle off the road on Pilipaa Street before striking and severing an utility pole. The tractor and trailer continued south on Pilipaa Street and then ran off the street and struck a house.

When police arrived, several individuals had already restrained the suspect as he was walking away from the scene.

No injuries were reported.

The suspect was arrested on suspicion of first-degree theft, fourth-degree theft, third-degree criminal property damage, accident involving damage to a vehicle or property and two counts of first-degree reckless endangering.

Detectives ask anyone who may have witnessed a white Freightliner and a white container-size trailer traveling through the industrial area onto Kanoelehua Avenue, Puainako Avenue or Pilipaa Street in Hilo to call the Police Department’s nonemergency line at 935-3311 or contact Detective Dean Uyetake at 961-2379 or dean.uyetake@hawaiicounty.gov. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call CrimeStoppers at 961-8300.