Kona man charged in pedestrian's death

By Hugh Clark
Advertiser Big Island Bureau

KAILUA, KONA, Hawai'i — Police yesterday charged a Kona man in the death of a California woman who was run down by a van Saturday while she was out for an afternoon walk with her sister.

Police charged Stephen St. Clair, 39, of Kailua, Kona, with manslaughter, drunken driving, reckless driving, reckless endangering, having no auto insurance and driving left of center. He was being held in lieu of $14,000 bail at the Kona police station.

Jane O'Brien, 58, of Santa Barbara, was pronounced dead at Kona Community Hospital at 4:44 p.m. Saturday.

Police described St. Clair as a short-time resident. A blood test was taken after his arrest but the results were not available yesterday.

Sgt. Samuel Jelsma said the 1982 GMC van was "burning rubber" and going into a spin when it hit O'Brien while was she was standing on the shoulder of Ali'i Drive in front of the Hale Halewai O Holualoa Church. The van pinned her against the stone wall surrounding the church, then went through the wall.

St. Clair was not injured and was sitting in the van when police arrived.

Linda Cramer, 61, of Culpeper, Va., said she and her sister had been on a walk and stopped to read the sign fronting the church when she heard a loud squealing of tires and turned to see the van speeding toward them. Cramer said they ran, but the van hit her sister.

Jelsma said St. Clair was "extremely intoxicated" at the time of the accident.

Reach Hugh Clark at (808) 935-3916 or at hclark@honoluluadvertiser.com.