A Michigan man with a history of drunken driving pleaded guilty yesterday to negligent homicide in the death of a Honolulu police officer who was hit by a pickup truck while laying flares on the road near Kualoa Ranch in April 2001. Man pleads guilty
in death of copMichael Coulter admits he was drunk
when he hit HPD's Dannygriggs
Padayao in April 2001By Nelson Daranciang
ndaranciang@starbulletin.comMichael Coulter, 23, who was visiting relatives in Kahaluu at the time, also pleaded guilty to failing to remain at the scene of the accident. Each charge carries a maximum 10-year prison term and $25,000 fine.
Dannygriggs Padayao, 46, was laying flares on Kamehameha Highway following a traffic accident on April 30, 2001, when a speeding pickup truck struck him, throwing the officer into the front of a van traveling in the opposite direction. Padayao was taken to Castle Medical Center where he later died.
In pleading guilty, Coulter told Circuit Court Judge Dan Kochi he caused the death of Padayao by operating a vehicle negligently while under the influence of alcohol, then fled the scene of the accident.
"He essentially pleaded guilty to what we were going to charge him with," said Honolulu City Prosecutor Peter Carlisle.
He said Coulter had offered to plead guilty to negligent homicide earlier, but Carlisle waited until the conclusion of the investigation to accept the offer because he wanted to see if there was evidence to charge Coulter with manslaughter.
Coulter will be sentenced on Sept. 30.
Kochi gave Coulter until 4 p.m. today to post $10,000 bail. Otherwise he will be taken into custody and held until sentencing. Coulter's attorney Richard Hoke told Kochi if his client is unable to raise the bail, he will personally take Coulter to the Oahu Community Correctional Center.
Padayao's long-time companion, Donna Borengasser, said she was pleased with the guilty pleas since it will spare family and loved ones from having to endure a trial.
"That's a win right there. But having the judge reduce the bail to $10,000, that was the most disturbing part," she said.
Carlisle argued for a $100,000 bail as called for in Coulter's plea agreement. He cited a March 1998 DUI conviction in Michigan for which Coulter's license was suspended for 90 days.
According to his Michigan driving record, Coulter was arrested for DUI after crashing his car in Macomb County on Christmas Day, 1997. The month before he was involved in a two-car accident outside Pontiac for which he was cited for failing to stop within an assured, clear distance.
On Dec. 9, 1999, Coulter was cited for speeding after getting involved in a five-car accident in Flat Rock. There were no deaths or injuries in any of the accidents.
Hawaii officials revoked Coulter's driver's license for a year for his refusal to submit to a blood alcohol test following the April 30 crash that killed Padayao. However, Coulter's Michigan driving record does not reflect the revocation.
After Coulter returned to the mainland, Michigan officials ordered his license suspended for failing to pay a speeding ticket he was issued on April 10 in Ann Arbor. He has yet to pay the fine, according to his driving record.
Coulter continued to drive and was stopped on Sept. 18 for disobeying a traffic signal and for driving with a suspended license.
Michigan officials later ordered his license suspended again for failing to pay the fine for the traffic signal infraction and for failing to appear at a schedule court hearing for driving with a suspended license. He has yet to respond to either judgment.