LIHU’E — The jury trial of the North Shore resident accused of running over a motorcycle passenger did not start Monday as scheduled. Byron Say’s attorney, June Tkemoto, withdrew from the case. She told Fifth Circuit Court Judge Kathleen N.A.
LIHU’E — The jury trial of the North Shore resident accused of running over a motorcycle passenger did not start Monday as scheduled.
Byron Say’s attorney, June Tkemoto, withdrew from the case.
She told Fifth Circuit Court Judge Kathleen N.A. Watanabe that Say understood why she does not want to be his attorney any more.
Watanabe asked Say if he is looking for an attorney. In response, Say answered that he is in the process of getting a new attorney.
Watanabe scheduled a hearing in two weeks to find out if Say has obtained another attorney.
In court records, Ikemoto wrote that she met with Say during the week of March 6, which resulted in her informing him that she would be withdrawing as his attorney.
Ikemoto wrote that it is her position that “professional considerations require termination” of her representing Say.
Say, 37, faces one count of causing serious bodily injury to another person while operating a vehicle; one count of fleeing the scene of an accident; one count of promoting a dangerous drug; and one count of having drug paraphernalia, in connection with the case for which the jury trial was supposed to have started Monday.
He was arrested more recently on other drug charges.
The felony charges which are the subject of the jury trial were filed after Say allegedly rear-ended a motorcycle last June with a rental car.
Passenger Lisa Wilson filed a civil suit against Say in February. In her lawsuit, she alleged that Say was negligent, careless and reckless when he rear-ended the motorcycle that was driven by her boyfriend, Steve Wheeler.
Say posted $8,000 bail on the earlier injury charges, and is on supervised release pending trial.
Kaua’i Police Department officers arrested Say March 21 after a traffic stop in Kapa’a.
The traffic stop led to a search warrant being issued covering the vehicle Say was driving. On March 23, Say was charged with allegedly having 33.3 grams of methamphetamine, 1.9 grams of marijuana, and for having 45 pills of various dosages of morphine sulfates.
Police estimated the street value of the methamphetamine, or ice, that was found, to be between $30,000 and $40,000.
Say’s sister-in-law, Aquila Say, was also in the vehicle. She faces the same drug charges.
I Cynthia Kaneshiro, staff writer, may be reached at 245-3681 (ext.
252) or ckaneshiro@kauaipubco.com.
