Addicts urged not to lose hope

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

The mother of a man who died in a fiery crash in Mililani while fleeing from police wants people with drug problems to know that they should continue to seek help and not give up hope.

JoAnn Kilar spoke yesterday of her son, Corey Onaka, who died after his new car crashed and burst into flames early Tuesday morning in Mililani while being pursued by two police cars. A few minutes earlier, police saw Onaka's car and another car make illegal U-turns in Waipahu and the officers followed Onaka as he headed up the H-2 Freeway.

Police said Onaka was speeding as he took the Mililani Mauka off-ramp and headed south on Meheula Parkway before slamming into a tree. Onaka died at the scene.

Yesterday, Kilar acknowledged that her 29-year-old son had a drug problem, but she said he wanted to turn his life around. Onaka was on federal supervised release following a conviction for distributing methamphetamine when he violated terms of the release.

A warrant was issued for his arrest March 4.

Kilar said her son "slipped" and fell back into drugs, but wanted to enter a rehabilitation program. She said federal authorities turned down that request.

"My son did try to turn himself in because he wanted to go to drug rehab, but they said no, he had to go back to prison," she said. "That's when he gave up hope."

Kilar said her son got "caught in a system" that wanted him incarcerated, not rehabilitated.

Kilar also objected to the U.S. Marshals' portrayal of her son as "armed and dangerous" because she said he never carried a weapon.

She said she hopes her son's death will send a message to others with drug problems that they should continue to try to find help.

"We want other people who have children in trouble not to give up either, and other addicts to know that there is an out," Kilar said. "They don't have to end their life. We don't want it to be a senseless death. We want to bring hope."