Nakamura’s hit-run
driver faces 10 years

The accident last year led to more
hardship for the ex-police chief

The man who ran over a former Honolulu police chief a year ago now faces up to 10 years in prison for fleeing the scene of an accident.

Anthony G. Pearce II admitted to fleeing after running over Michael Nakamura, who was attempting to cross the street in his motorized wheelchair next to the Mililani Town Center. Nakamura, who uses the chair because of a degenerative neuromuscular condition, suffered serious injuries, including a fractured leg. The former police chief underwent surgery and had two metal rods inserted in his legs after the accident.

Pearce, who could also get probation, is asking for a deferral that would allow him to eventually erase the matter from his record. The 20-year-old pleaded no contest yesterday before Circuit Judge Derrick Chan to fleeing the scene of an accident involving serious bodily injury and driving without a license on Sept. 29. He was indicted by an Oahu grand jury on Aug. 3.

Witnesses said the driver of the white Nissan that struck Nakamura stopped momentarily but fled without rendering aid. Pearce turned himself in to the Mililani Town Center security about an hour and half after the accident and admitted to leaving the scene "because he was afraid of what happened," Deputy Prosecutor Darrell Wong said.

Pearce did not have a license, and the car, which belonged to a friend, was not insured.

While he is not in too much pain, Nakamura said a stroke he suffered because of the operation has made him more dependent on others to carry out his daily activities.

While Nakamura is leaving it up to the court to sentence Pearce as it deems fit, he said, "There needs to be a message sent out that if you drive a car, you should be licensed and insured, otherwise the hardship is passed on to the victim." He added, "We're just fortunate we have people helping and supporting us."

Defense attorney Victor Bakke said Pearce's decision to take responsibility by pleading no contest is consistent with his actions after the accident.

Although Pearce left the scene momentarily because he panicked -- as anyone would after striking a pedestrian -- he later returned to the scene and gave a statement to police, Bakke said.

"It was a simple accident; the problem was he left the scene soon right after it happened."

Had Pearce remained at the scene, the most he could have been facing was a charge of driving without a license, punishable by up to a year in jail. "If he hadn't returned to the scene, we probably wouldn't be here because they probably wouldn't have caught him," Bakke said.

While Pearce cannot undo what happened, "he's just gonna try to work with making this as best as he can for everyone involved," Bakke said. "At least he can look at Chief Nakamura in the face and say, 'I did the right thing.'"

Nakamura said his accident raises two important issues that need to be addressed.

First, pedestrians and motorists trying to cross the four-lane roadway or make a left turn onto Lanikuhana Avenue from the shopping center have difficulty seeing incoming cars because of a curve in the road, he said. More warning signs or a traffic light like the one just down the road near Wal-Mart could help address the problem of speeding or inattentive motorists.

Also, the problem of uninsured drivers is more prevalent than most residents realize, with drivers usually only getting caught when they are involved in an accident or violate traffic laws.

Wong said his office will decide after seeing Pearce's pre-sentencing report what to ask for at sentencing. Pearce's sentencing was set for Nov. 23. He remains free on $15,000 bail.