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The 35-year-old man killed in a single-car accident Friday night that shut down Monsarrat Avenue near the Kapiolani Park Bandstand had a history of breaking traffic laws and driving while intoxicated.
Police have identified the driver in the 7:56 p.m. accident as Jared Rader of Honolulu.
According to Honolulu court records, Rader had more than 15 incidents in his traffic abstract, ranging from failing to provide proof of a current safety check to serious accidents while intoxicated.
He was found guilty on July 1, 2009, of operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant. This came after a judge had previously affirmed the administrative revocation of his driver’s license.
He faced another driving under the influence charge stemming from a Nov. 22, 2012, incident but it was dismissed with prejudice on Nov. 20, 2013, because the state wasn’t ready to proceed. “With prejudice” means the state may not refile the charges.
On Nov. 30, 2012, a judge revoked his driver’s license for 18 months. This was due to having two convictions in the previous five years of driving under heavy intoxication, specifically .08 or more grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath.
On May 22, 2013, a judge dismissed a case without prejudice that stemmed from a Dec. 5, 2012, driving while intoxicated complaint.
On Oct. 26, 2012, the court accepted Rader’s no contest plea regarding a July 25, 2012, accident involving damage to a vehicle or property. He was due to appear in Circuit Court Oct. 24 for arraignment and a plea regarding a Sept. 26 accident that involved damage to a vehicle or property.
Police are still investigating Friday’s accident.
“Speed was a factor, but it is unknown whether alcohol or drugs were a factor,” Honolulu police Sgt. John Rathjen said in a recorded traffic update. “The investigation is ongoing.”
Rader, who was driving a silver Toyota Corolla, was traveling at a high rate of speed in the wrong direction on Monsarrat, Rathjen said. Rader lost control around a curve and left the roadway, striking a light pole and then two trees, he said.
The impact from the crash sheared off the light pole at its base, sending the pole 50 feet into an unoccupied, parked city bus, Lt. Phillip Buchanan of the Waikiki Patrol District said.
The car was left mangled and wrapped around a tree. Rader was pronounced dead at the scene.
The accident was the 35th vehicular fatality of 2017, compared with 41 last year, Rathjen said.
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