Posted on: Wednesday, February 13, 2002

Witnesses rebut claims by Arakawa defense team

By David Waite
Advertiser Staff Writer

With the manslaughter trial of former police officer Clyde Arakawa drawing to a close, city prosecutor Peter Carlisle called a series of rebuttal witnesses yesterday to dispute several key points the defense has tried to make in the case.

Arakawa, 50, is charged with manslaughter in the crash that killed 19-year-old Dana Ambrose the night of Oct. 7, 2000, at the intersection of Pali Highway and School Street. He is accused of driving drunk, speeding up Pali Highway and running a red light before the collision.

Yesterday, Carlisle's witnesses included firefighter Adam Enos who testified that Ambrose was wearing a seat belt during the collision and he cut Ambrose's belt near her left shoulder so she could be removed from her wrecked Honda Civic.

City Medical Examiner Kanthi von Guenthner said the impact when Arakawa's 1993 Thunderbird collided with the driver's side of Ambrose's 2000 Civic was sufficient to result in the fatal injuries to Ambrose.

In addition, a drunk driving expert called by the prosecution said he and another prosecution expert both took into consideration that Arakawa's liver was clearing alcohol from his system throughout the afternoon and evening hours leading up to the crash, even though Arakawa continued to drink throughout the evening.

A defense expert had testified Monday that a prosecution witness used a faulty process in concluding Arakawa had more than the legal limit of alcohol in his blood because she did not allow for any alcohol elimination by Arakawa during the hours leading up to the crash.

Arakawa's lawyer, Michael Ostendorp, has claimed throughout the trial that it was Ambrose who was speeding, that she ran the red light and that she further caused her own death by not wearing — or improperly wearing — a seat belt.

Closing arguments are tentatively set for tomorrow morning. The jury will then begin deliberations.