The driver in a fatal hit-and-run that killed 47-year-old motorcyclist Lindsay Kane wanted to tell Kane's family that he is sorry.

But when Siaosi Feleunga turned to face Kane's relatives in Circuit Court yesterday, they walked out.

“;We don't want to listen to that garbage—'cause that's all it is, noise, garbage,”; said Kane's older brother, Rod Kane.

He said Feleunga could have stepped forward even a few days after the Dec. 29, 2008, crash on Farrington Highway and admitted he was the driver. Instead, he kept quiet for more than a year.

Feleunga pleaded guilty in January to fleeing the scene of an accident, second-degree negligent homicide and driving while his license was revoked because of driving under the influence.

  Victim's Family Frustrated With Feleunga's Sentencing

 

The victim's family found a dramatic way to express frustration in the sentencing of Siaosi Feleunga.

 

[ Watch ]

 

 

 

 

He said the crash was an accident.

“;I was traveling into Waipahu. I took a look at the left lane, the left lane was open. And that's when I decided to make the turn. Alcohol had nothing to do with this,”; Feleunga said.

Circuit Judge Karen Ahn sentenced Feleunga yesterday to 10 years in prison and ordered him to pay $5,106 restitution for his victim's funeral expenses and $1,865 for his medical expenses.

Authorities were already looking for Feleunga at the time of the crash because he failed to show up in court for a previous hit-and-run and for driving after his license was revoked due to DUI.

Vanessa Gamboa is the victim in Feleunga's previous hit-and-run, six months before the one involving Lindsay Kane.

“;If he had stopped then, back in '08, this wouldn't have happened to (Kane's) family,”; Gamboa said.

Feleunga has multiple DUI and assault convictions in Honolulu, Kauai and the Big Island.

The state did not charge him with DUI in connection with Kane's death because he did not stick around to submit to a blood-alcohol test, said Franklin Pacarro Jr., deputy prosecutor.

If authorities found that Feleunga was driving drunk when he crashed his pickup truck into Kane's motorcycle, he could have faced first-degree negligent homicide or manslaughter rather than second-degree negligent homicide.

“;So it gives the person sort of like a break if he leaves,”; Pacarro said.

Kane's brothers and sisters said they have started a petition to ask lawmakers to increase the penalty for people who flee the scene of an accident.