James Steinseifer, 32, of Makakilo will be indicted on three counts of manslaughter (which carries a maximum 20-year sentence) instead of on lesser charges of negligent homicide (which brings a maximum 10-year incarceration term). Joseph Nuuanu witnessed the head-on crash on Farrington Highway as he was following a car carrying his two daughters and two grandchildren. Only his grandson survived the accident.
Nuuanu told reporters that he will never forget the sight of Steinseifer's fast-moving car crossing the center line, the shattering impact or the carnage that followed. Police have determined that Steinseifer's blood-alcohol level was nearly three times higher than the legal limit of .08 percent, and officials in Minnesota acknowledge that, in 1985, he was arrested twice for driving under the influence.
Carlisle's decision to seek the stiffer penalty, and to move expeditiously on the case, is a promising sign that his tough talk during the election campaign was not just shibai. His personal phone call to the Nuuanus also moved the family. "(They) appreciated Mr. Carlisle's attentiveness and explanation as to why he was going for manslaughter charges," said the family's attorney, Stephen Teves. "It meant a lot to them."
The swift work by the prosecuting attorney's office sends a resounding promise to the public: Speed and alcohol will not be tolerated on the streets of Oahu.
Although there is widespread agreement that females 50 years of age and older benefit from such a procedure, the definitive answer still isn't clear for their younger "sisters."
Rupert E. Phillips, CEO
John M. Flanagan, Editor & Publisher
David Shapiro, Managing Editor
Diane Yukihiro Chang, Senior Editor & Editorial Page Editor
Frank Bridgewater & Michael Rovner, Assistant Managing Editors
A.A. Smyser, Contributing Editor