Senator cited in failure to stop after hitting bus

State Sen. Clayton Hee has been cited for allegedly failing to stop after hitting a city bus last month in downtown Honolulu.

According to a police report of the July 30 accident, the bus driver took down the license plate of the truck that hit her left mirror, leading police to Hee.

The accident occurred at about 1 p.m. on Alakea Street before Beretania Street and caused minor damage -- scrapes and scratches -- to the bus mirror, a police report said.

In a statement to police, the bus driver said the driver of the truck looked back after hitting her bus but did not stop.

Hee's attorney, Keith Kaneshiro, said his client did not stop because he did not know there was damage.

"He didn't know what happened. He heard something hit the mirror," Kaneshiro said. "He looked at the mirror and he didn't see anything."

Hee did not return a call for comment yesterday.

The same afternoon of the accident, a police officer went to the Kaneohe home of Hee (D, Kahuku-Kaneohe), vice chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which tackles issues related to crime prevention and control.

Upon meeting the officer, Hee admitting driving the truck and said he had to call his friend at TheBus to find out what happened, a police report said.

He called Roger Morton, general manager of Oahu Transit Services, the agency that operates TheBus. Morton told the officer on Hee's phone that the bus in question had no damage.

The officer did not cite Hee because of Morton's comments and because Hee's white 2006 Ford F-350 truck was undamaged.

Two days later, police decided Hee should be cited because he admitted driving the truck and since the initial report stated there was damage.

Hee went to the Kaneohe station on Aug. 2 to receive his citation, which can result in up to $200 in fines or 10 days in jail.

His court date is scheduled for Aug. 28.