LIHUE — Trial was set Tuesday for a man charged in the deaths of two passengers after a two-car collision last year on Kuhio Highway in Kilauea. Daniel Steven Dunkin, 63, of Lacey, Washington, pleaded not guilty to multiple charges
LIHUE — Trial was set Tuesday for a man charged in the deaths of two passengers after a two-car collision last year on Kuhio Highway in Kilauea.
Daniel Steven Dunkin, 63, of Lacey, Washington, pleaded not guilty to multiple charges before 5th Circuit Judge Kathleen Watanabe.
He will go to trial Feb. 1.
He is charged with two counts of negligent homicide in the second degree, one count of negligent injury in the first degree, one count of reckless driving of a vehicle, and one count of inattention to driving.
On May 1, 2014, Dunkin was driving a Chevy SUV, which was carrying three passengers and was struck by a Ford truck being driven by a 55-year-old Kilauea man.
Dunkin was near the Pili Road junction attempting to make a left turn from the southbound lane when the oncoming Ford struck him.
George Nielson, 58, of Lacey, died in the crash. A 62-year-old female passenger, Margaret Ratcliffe, also of Lacey, was airlifted to Queen’s Medical Center on Oahu in critical condition, where she later died.
Another 56-year-old female passenger was injured in the accident. Dunkin sustained non-life threatening injuries. Medics transported them to Wilcox Memorial Hospital in stable condition.
The driver of the Ford truck did not sustain injuries.
If convicted, Dunkin could face five years in prison or a $10,000 in fine.
