Alleged hit-and-run driver’s hearing date set
DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARADVERTISER.COM
Malik Morton, left, made his first appearance in District Court on Monday. His defense lawyer is Victor Bakke.
The preliminary hearing for a 20-year-old former Leilehua High School football player accused of trying to kill people with a car will be held in Honolulu District Court on Wednesday.
Malik Morton was charged Saturday with first-degree attempted murder, two counts of second-degree attempted murder and first-degree terroristic threatening.
A police affidavit filed in District Court on Monday said Morton drove a car toward a crowd of 30 to 40 people on a street in Ewa Beach last week, critically injuring a woman and also injuring a 17-year-old boy.
A witness told police he saw Morton drive in a zigzag motion as he accelerated toward the crowd, which was beginning to scatter. The witness said he heard numerous bodies colliding with the sides of the car and saw several people get thrown.
The witness said Morton hit 18-year-old Alisha Brown at a high rate of speed, hurling her into the air before she landed on the road. Then the driver fled.
The incident began when Morton and others showed up at a house party and began fighting with others there, the witness said. He said he saw Morton get into the car and begin driving.
In District Court on Monday, Victor Bakke, Morton’s attorney, told reporters that he expects prosecutors will seek an indictment by an Oahu grand jury before Wednesday’s hearing.
Bakke contends the prosecutor’s office is not leaving enough time to interview the many witnesses or to examine the car involved.
“This is a rush to judgment,” he said.
Bakke also said he will seek to have Morton’s $1 million bail reduced when the case moves to Circuit Court. Morton turned himself in Thursday and remains in custody, unable to post bail.
Brown, a 2015 Campbell High School graduate and currently a student at Chaminade University, is in a coma following the May 19 incident, which unfolded at about 3 a.m. near the intersection of Fort Weaver and Ewa Beach roads.
“This poor girl,” Bakke added. “My client and his family are devastated by this. They are hoping and praying just like everyone else that she recovers.”
10 responses to “Alleged hit-and-run driver’s hearing date set”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
No good comes out of leaving the scene of an accident, in which case the prosecutors are saying it was intended to kill someone. Was he driving the car or not? Cause he had to have known he hit a lot of people with his car or maybe he didn’t because he was drunk or on drugs in which we’ll never know the truth cause he turned himself in days after the incident.
Is it hit and run or attempted murder? Headline and news report are inconsistent. Regarding Morton turning himself in to authorities, did he do so because he and his Family were on the receiving end of death threats (?) It seems that a number of people knew it was Morton who was the driver in question soon after or at the time of the incident(?) My thoughts are with the Family of Alisha Brown and those who were injured.
sad no? kids now days
Sheesh! Intelligent looking individual. Pride of Wahiawa?
Prayers for Alisha and others that were injured. Now does everyone understand why HPD shoots criminals that use a vehicle as an assault weapon?
Wow! He looks so remorseful.
From North Carolina. I am sure he is a stellar student majoring in Communication. Any bets on how long it will be until the race card is played?
And, yes Mr. Bakke, I can see how devastated your client looks for what he has done. The victim’s family doesn’t need your feigned sympathy offered for your own spin.
His mom and dad said that he was such a good boy and would never hurt anyone.
Is that his friends in the background? If so they look like maybe some kind of gang members. I maybe could be wrong.
From the looks on their faces I’m guessing that they are more likely friends of the victim(s), interested in seeing this guy go down.