HONOLULU, HI – A man has been charged in connection with a collision that killed two people in Ewa Beach earlier this year, authorities said.
According to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 20-year-old Jonah Moya was charged by the Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office with second-degree negligent homicide.
The incident occurred March 24 at the intersection of Fort Weaver Road and Iroquois Road. Investigators said Moya was driving west on Iroquois Road when he lost control of his vehicle. He allegedly crossed over the center line into oncoming lanes, struck a ‘Bike Path’ sign, and hit a traffic signal pole. The car then struck two people riding bicycles in a marked crosswalk toward the pedestrian island.
One of the riders, 62-year-old Naomi Meyer, died at the scene while the other, 75-year-old James Rowland, was pronounced dead after being taken to an area hospital. The couple were riding near their Ewa Beach home at the time of the crash.
“The law defines Ms. Meyer and Mr. Rowland as vulnerable users because they were in a marked crosswalk, and a driver can be charged with second-degree negligent homicide if they cause the death of a vulnerable user,” said Honolulu Prosecutor Steve Alm.
It was initially reported by police that speed may have been a contributing factor in the incident.
If a loved one recently died due to someone’s negligence, you have legal rights as a surviving family member. When a reckless or an intentional action costs someone their life, the responsible party could owe the family of the victim significant compensation. This will typically be recovered through a wrongful death claim. At Recovery Law Center, our Hawaii wrongful death lawyer can represent your family and seek compensation through a civil lawsuit. Give us a call at (808) 427-3088 or visit our contact page to schedule a free consultation regarding your case.
