Posted on: Tuesday, November 11, 2003

Driver in fatal crash apologizes at hearing

Associated Press

A Waimanalo man serving a 20-year manslaughter sentence for a fatal traffic accident told sobbing relatives of his victim yesterday that he is sorry.

Kam Williams appeared at a parole hearing at the Halawa Correctional Center that could lead to a possible shortening of his sentence for the January 2001 accident in which Lorrie-Ann Wiley was killed.

"I wish that Lorrie-Ann was here today," Williams said. "I would give my life for her to be with you guys."

But the family of the 32-year-old woman said Williams should remain locked up.

"He needs to pay for what he did," said Ben Marquez, a cousin of Wiley. "He did something to this family. He hurt the family."

Williams' blood-alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit when his car crossed the centerline of Kalaniana'ole Highway near the Olomana Golf Links and crashed head-on into Wiley's car. Wiley was a member of the Hawai'i Air National Guard and on her way to work at Hickam Air Force Base at the time of the crash.

The parole board is expected to decide on Williams' case within a couple of weeks.