Carlton Inada, a 70-year-old resident of Hilo, is facing charges of negligent homicide and failure to render aid following a fatal traffic collision that occurred on Tuesday, October 3, 2023. The collision resulted in the death of a 79-year-old woman from Hilo.
According to Hawai'i Island Police, the incident took place at 9:51 a.m. on Tuesday, October 3. Police responded to reports of a traffic collision involving a motor vehicle and a bicyclist along Akolea Road, just south of Waianueneu Avenue. An initial investigation conducted by police revealed that Carlton Inada was driving a 2016 Toyota Tacoma southbound on Akolea Road at the time of the collision. The vehicle struck an orange Recumbent Trike operated by Barbara Klein, a 79-year-old Hilo resident who was also traveling south in the southbound lane.
After the collision, Inada left the scene and proceeded to his residence. It was there that he alerted law enforcement authorities about the accident involving the cyclist on Akolea Road, leading to his subsequent arrest.
Barbara Klein was found unresponsive at the accident site and was transported to Hilo Medical Center by ambulance. She was pronounced dead at 10:56 a.m. An autopsy is planned to determine the exact cause of her death.
Kelden Waltjen, Prosecuting Attorney for the County of Hawai'i, announced formal charges against Inada on October 5. Inada is charged with Second-Degree Negligent Homicide, which is defined as causing another person's death due to operating a vehicle negligently, and Collisions Involving Death or Serious Bodily Injury. The latter charge is classified as a class B felony offense, which carries a potential sentence of ten years in prison or four years of probation and a maximum of eighteen months in jail. Second-Degree Negligent Homicide is categorized as a class C felony offense, which could result in a five-year prison sentence, five years of probation, or up to twelve months in jail.
Inada's bail has been set at $100,000, and he is currently in custody at the Hilo Police Station awaiting his initial court appearance.