KOLOA — The Lawa‘i man involved in a fatal two-vehicle crash on Christmas Eve on Kaumuali‘i Highway near Knudsen Gap, east of the Maluhia Road junction, was arrested and released Wednesday.
Sandon Igne, 31, was arrested on charges of manslaughter and three counts of Negligent Injury in the First Degree, according to the Kaua‘i Police Department. Igne was released pending further investigation.
According to KPD’s preliminary report, around 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 24, Igne, operating a 2011 Toyota Tacoma, was traveling westbound when the truck veered onto the shoulder before crossing back onto the westbound lane and then into the eastbound lane, hitting an oncoming sedan.
According to court records, Igne has faced several traffic infractions and crimes dating back to 2008 through 2019, including delinquent vehicle taxes and speeding tickets.
As a result of last Thursday’s crash rear passenger, 49-year-old Hanama‘ulu resident Eugenia Villanueva, suffered fatal injuries.
A 71-year-old rear passenger suffered serious life-threatening injuries and was medevaced to Queen’s Medical Center on O‘ahu. He is currently in critical but stable condition, according to KPD.
The front passenger of the Nissan sedan, a 19-year-old female of Hanama‘ulu, suffered serious injuries and was admitted to Wilcox Memorial Center. She is currently in stable condition. The 19-year-old driver of the Nissan sedan was also treated and released.
Following the crash, Igne was transported to Wilcox with minor injuries and subsequently released.
The highway was closed in both directions for about four hours for KPD’s Traffic Safety Section to investigate.
Toxicology results are pending to determine if alcohol and/or drugs were a factor. KPD’s Traffic Safety Section continues its investigation. Witnesses are asked to contact KPD Officer Isaiah Sarsona of the Traffic Safety Section at 241-1618.
Why is this menace to society allowed to hold a driver’s license?
Lack of a driver’s license never stops these criminally-stupid people. Should be forced to wear an ankle bracelet so can track their movements.
We need two-lane divided highways to lower the odds of fatalities for ourselves and our kids on Kauai’s deathways. Just a short couple of months ago some friends and families I know were tragically upended by the fatality of another innocent driver-fatality—a father, husband and business owner—at the Kaumualii/ Maluhia intersection. How many will it take? Drive through Knudsen Gap at night in the rain with oncoming LED headlights and heaven help you if someone is looking at their phone, or high or speeding or stalled on the non-shoulder. Enter the search-words “accident,” “fatality” or “crash” into this newspaper’s search window to see the increase in head-on fatalities in just the last few years. The “hearts go out” line is starting to look disingenuous as the population increases and the roads stay mired in the 50’s. And hoping that inefficient, un-safe roads will somehow help preserve the laid-back island character or be a drag on development is a fool’s bargain at this price.
Exactly!