Posted on: Friday, March 16, 2001
Arakawa probe continues in grand jury
By William Cole
Advertiser Courts Writer
An O'ahu grand jury has met for at least the second time to investigate former police officer Clyde Arakawa's role in the Oct. 7 car crash that killed 19-year-old Dana Ambrose.
The grand jury heard testimony yesterday and March 1 from witnesses, including people who work at one of two restaurants that Ambrose's relatives say Arakawa, 49, stopped at the night of the crash.
Ambrose was killed when her Honda Civic was hit by Arakawa's Ford Thunderbird at the intersection of Pali Highway and School Street, police say.
Arakawa, off duty at the time, was arrested and released at the scene on suspicion of driving under the influence and first-degree negligent homicide. He has not been charged and has since retired.
Lawrence Grean of the city's prosecutor's office would not comment on the grand jury investigation, saying only, "No decision has been made yet regarding anything with the case. We're just in the process of reviewing it."
Honolulu Prosecutor Peter Carlisle previously said in court papers Arakawa may be charged with the more serious offense of reckless manslaughter because he knew he had an "unexpected reaction" to alcohol and blacked out in 1992.
The prosecutor's office said Arakawa knew or should have known how alcohol might affect his driving as a result of the claim made by his attorney after the officer was discovered drunk and abusive on the living room floor of a Kailua home. Arakawa was found guilty of criminal trespass.
Following the Oct. 7 crash, Ambrose's parents sued Arakawa, Tropic's Diner on Auahi Street, and the Side Street Inn on Hopaka Street.
The family's attorney, Rick Fried, previously said Arakawa was believed to have started drinking at 4 or 5 p.m. the evening of the crash at Tropic's before heading to Side Street Inn, where he also had drinks, and eventually returning to Tropic's.
Fried said witnesses at the intersection saw Arakawa run a red light and hit Ambrose's car, but Arakawa said in a police report he entered the intersection on a green light.
