HONOLULU — Kaua‘i landowner James Pflueger surrendered to authorities Monday, three days after being indicted on seven counts of manslaughter in connection with the deadly failure of Ka Loko Dam two years ago. Pflueger, 82, was booked at Halawa Correctional
HONOLULU — Kaua‘i landowner James Pflueger surrendered to authorities Monday, three days after being indicted on seven counts of manslaughter in connection with the deadly failure of Ka Loko Dam two years ago.
Pflueger, 82, was booked at Halawa Correctional Facility before being released on $71,000 bail, state Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Louise Kim McCoy said.
The money was posted by Duane “Dog” Chapman, star of the TV reality series “Dog The Bounty Hunter,” Chapman’s spokeswoman Mona K. Wood said.
Chapman’s wife, Beth, said she and her bail bondsman husband are friends of Pflueger.
“Dog put that bond up for him, not because Jimmy needed the money, but as a sign of faith in Jimmy, that not only is Jimmy his friend, but he believes in Jimmy,” Beth Chapman said.
“He hopes that Jimmy’s side of the story will come out, and people will understand that Jimmy’s just a really giving guy, and Jimmy would never intentionally ever, ever, ever do anything that would harm anybody,” she said.
Pflueger also faces one count of first-degree reckless endangerment in connection with the deaths of seven people killed when the century-old earthen dam broke March 14, 2006.
The break sent 300 million gallons of water rushing to the sea, sweeping the seven to their deaths.
One of the Pflueger’s attorneys, William McCorriston, has said the retired car dealer planned to plead not guilty to all charges.
McCorriston said the state is trying to make Pflueger a scapegoat because the state had failed to inspect the dam. The allegation has been denied by state Attorney General Mark Bennett.
The indictment was issued Friday by a grand jury on Kaua‘i.
