Truck hit pedestrians at 51 mph at Kakaako traffic island, police say

In his haste to flee from a pursuing police officer, Alins Sumang drove around and passed a Honolulu Fire Department rescue unit responding to a call, the police officer testified Monday in Sumang’s preliminary hearing on three counts of manslaughter.

Sumang is charged with one count of manslaughter for each pedestrian who died Jan. 28 when hit by Sumang’s vehicle on a traffic island at the Kamakee Street/Ala Moana Boulevard intersection.

At the conclusion of the hearing, Honolulu District Judge Melanie May found probable cause to support the manslaughter charges and move the case on for trial in state Circuit Court. She ordered Sumang to appear for arraignment Feb. 19.

A preliminary hearing, unlike a grand jury proceeding, which the state passed up, gives defendants the opportunity to face their accusers. Sumang kept his head down for the entire hearing and didn’t look at any of the witnesses who testified against him.

He has been in custody in lieu of $1 million bail since his release from the hospital Wednesday. His lawyer Timothy Rakieten said Sumang has a job but can’t afford to post even a quarter of the bail. Still, he asked May to reduce it to $250,000. May denied the request.

Honolulu police officer Sheldon Watts testified that he was looking for a truck that hit a parked vehicle in the Makaloa area when he spotted Sumang’s truck traveling mauka on Keeaumoku Street. He said he was looking for a green Nissan Titan but began following Sumang’s gray Ford F-150 when he saw it make abrupt lane changes and a left turn onto Rycroft Street with no turn signals.

Watts said after he turned on his siren and flashing lights, Sumang sped up and continued traveling west on Rycroft Street. He said he followed Sumang, who then turned left onto Pensacola Street, and lost sight of him at Kapiolani Boulevard. Watts said he spotted Sumang’s vehicle traveling east on Kona Street and followed it, turning right onto Piikoi Street and right onto Ala Moana Boulevard. He said Sumang passed the HFD Fire Rescue unit, which had its lights flashing and siren blaring, on Ala Moana Boulevard.

HFD Capt. Scott Seguirant said the department’s Rescue 1 was headed to Sand Island on a swimmer-in- distress call. The unit was reassigned to the crash, and the crew were the first responders on the scene.

Cesar Garcia testified that he was traveling west on Ala Moana Boulevard in the far right lane when a truck came up from behind, went around, “aggressively” passed on his left, then started skidding sideways.

“He was already on a sideways motion when he took out the pole and he took out the pedestrians. And then he crashed into the pickup truck, the other F-150,” he said.

HPD officer Brandon Ohta testified that the engine computer on Sumang’s truck recorded the vehicle’s speed at 74-76 mph before impact. Officer Jason Tanaka said he calculated the truck’s speed at 51 mph when it hit the light pole and pedestrians. The speed limit for that portion of Ala Moana Boulevard is 35 mph.

Garcia said the truck took out the pole’s lower section. The upper section then dropped straight down upright before toppling over.

Watts said Sumang was still behind the wheel of the truck when he arrived on the scene. He said Sumang identified himself and that he was able to confirm Sumang’s identity with his Hawaii state ID card. He said Sumang slurred his speech, mumbled and emitted a strong odor of alcohol.

Officer Suaesi Tuimaunei testified that he found a large, half-empty bottle of Absolut Vodka on the floor in front of the truck’s passenger seat. He also said Sumang told the ambulance crew who took him to the hospital, “F—- you, I don’t give a f—- and f—- this life.”

State law required police to get a blood sample from Sumang to test for alcohol. Deputy Prosecutor Scott Bell, however, did not present any evidence of Sumang’s blood alcohol concentration. Alcohol intoxication is not a necessary factor for manslaughter.

Reino Ikeda, 47, of Japan; William Travis Lau, 39, of Honolulu; and Casimir Pokornoy, 26, of Pennsylvania died at the scene. The crash injured three other pedestrians, including two who were pushing bicycles, and the driver of the pickup truck that Sumang crashed into. Sumang is not yet facing any charges for causing their injuries.

At the time of the crash, Sumang was on probation for a 2017 felony terroristic threatening conviction.