Man accused
of hitting former
police chief fined

The driver pleads no contest to driving
without a license in an unrelated case

The driver accused of running over former Honolulu Police Chief Michael Nakamura was fined $150 for an unrelated incident in which he was caught driving without a license.

Anthony G. Pearce II, 20, of Waipio pleaded no contest on Tuesday to driving without a valid license in Wahiawa District Court, his attorney, Patrick McPherson, confirmed.

District Judge Clarence Pacarro gave Pearce two months to pay the $150 fine.

Pearce was arrested Sept. 29, hours after the 4:30 p.m. incident in which Nakamura was struck as he attempted to cross Lanikuhana Avenue near the Mililani Wal-Mart in his motorized wheelchair.

Nakamura, who suffers from a degenerative nerve condition, suffered two broken legs and other injuries.

The driver allegedly fled but later turned himself in to Mililani Town Center security, who turned him over to police.

He was arrested for suspicion of failure to render aid, driving without a license and auto theft but was released pending investigation.

McPherson said the charge of driving without a license, which occurred before the Nakamura incident, was the first time his client was in trouble with the law.

"He's really a good kid," McPherson said. "I don't think he would do anything intentionally."

Nakamura, 57, police chief from 1990 to 1997, has been released from the hospital and is going through physical therapy and recuperating at his Mililani home.

As for the man who hit him, Nakamura said his main concern is that there are more drivers out there like him.

"The driver of the vehicle had no license, and there was no insurance on the car itself," he said. "There's a lot of people driving out there like that.

"I think something has to be done ... some way to ensure that cars have some kind of minimum insurance coverage."