Koloa man faces charges for Menehune accident

LIHUE — A Koloa man is facing civil and criminal charges related to a late night accident at Menehune Fishpond in 2012.

Jason David Dameron, 38, is charged with two counts of first-degree negligent injury, operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant, inattention to driving, and second-degree reckless endangering for placing the safety of his minor passenger in danger. He was arraigned in 5th Circuit Court on Sept. 11, and has a jury trial date set for Feb. 9 with Chief Judge Randal Valenciano.

The accident occurred about 10 p.m. April 4. Dameron was allegedly intoxicated while driving a 2005 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck, heading westward on Hulemalu Road with a young child in the vehicle. He crossed the centerline, drove off the roadway and into the Menehune Fishpond parking area where the truck struck the victim, Jessica Arps, who was standing on the passenger side of her 2002 Toyota Rav-4 at the Lookout.

Arps, of Kapaa, was pinned underneath Dameron’s vehicle and dragged until she was pinned up against her own Rav-4.

Dameron was arrested after failing a field sobriety test and a blood sample later revealed an alcohol content of .215. A measurement of .08 or more grams of alcohol per one hundred milliliters of blood is the legal limit in the state of Hawaii.

Dameron was also charged with placing his passenger, who was younger than 15 years old, in danger.

The civil complaint, filed on Nov. 28 by the firm of Leavitt, Yamane & Soldner, claims Dameron failed to accept full responsibility for the collision and to properly compensate Arps, who suffered several injuries.

With more than one traffic law violation in the course of the collision and injuries, the civil suit claims it was caused by the gross negligence and willful reckless driving behavior of Dameron. The suit is seeking medical, rehabilitative and therapeutic expense, loss of past and future earnings, out of pocket expenses, and special punitive damages.

The civil case is not yet assigned to a judge and there are no hearings scheduled.

Dameron is represented by private attorney Robert Miller. County Prosecuting Attorney Justin Kollar is representing the state.