LIHU‘E — The Kaua‘i Coffee Company driver who was allegedly involved in a fatal traffic collision last month was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of first-degree negligent homicide and driving under the influence of an intoxicant, the Kaua‘i Police Department announced
LIHU‘E — The Kaua‘i Coffee Company driver who was allegedly involved in a fatal traffic collision last month was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of first-degree negligent homicide and driving under the influence of an intoxicant, the Kaua‘i Police Department announced Wednesday afternoon.
William Corbett, 61, of Hanama‘ulu, was arrested at his residence more than a month after the crash on Kaumuali‘i Highway near the Lawa‘i post office on Feb. 11. Glenn Doi, 59, of Kalaheo, died in the crash.
Corbett has since been released pending further investigation, the county press release states.
According to a preliminary Kaua‘i Police Department report, Corbett was heading west in a Kaua‘i Coffee Company delivery van when he crossed the highway center line and crashed head-on into an eastbound Ford Mustang driven by Doi. The Mustang was then rear-ended.
Corbett was taken to Wilcox Memorial Hospital, treated and released. Doi was taken to Wilcox Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Doi was the third Kauaian to die in traffic accidents this year.
The day of the crash, Kaua‘i Coffee Company President and General Manager Wayne Katayama issued a written statement acknowledging Corbett’s status as a driver, and offered the company’s condolences to Doi’s family and friends.
An attempt to reach Kaua‘i Coffee’s parent company, Alexander and Baldwin, for comment Wednesday was not successful as of press time.
Dang plea results in a guilty charge
While the investigation into the February 2010 Lawa‘i crash ramps up, the case of Jeremy Ikaika Dang is winding down nearly three years after he allegedly struck with his vehicle Jamison Cosier, 24, a pedestrian walking on Koloa Road in Lawa‘i.
According to an earlier county press release, early on the morning of Nov. 24, 2007, a white Nissan sports car driven by Dang reportedly struck Cosier before leaving the scene.
Cosier died almost two weeks later at The Queen’s Medical Center on O‘ahu.
Dang, 29, of Kalaheo, was arrested on March 20, 2009, and charged with third-degree negligent homicide, third-degree promotion of a detrimental drug, and leaving the scene of an accident involving death or serious injury, a class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Dang originally pleaded not guilty and requested a jury trial, which was delayed repeatedly until he pleaded no contest to leaving the scene of an accident involving death or serious injury on March 11 this year.
Court records indicate the drug and negligent-homicide charges were dropped in exchange for Dang’s no-contest plea. Fifth Circuit Judge Randal Valenciano found Dang guilty of leaving the scene of an accident involving death or serious injury, and scheduled sentencing for June 10 at 8 a.m.
Michael Soong, Dang’s attorney, said the negligent-homicide case against his client was weak.
The family of Cosier has filed a civil suit against Dang, requesting a jury trial. There have been no appearances in that case, according to court records.
