HILO, Hawai'i — A Big Island grand jury has indicted two men, each on a charge of first-degree negligent homicide, in connection with car crashes last year that resulted in two deaths.

Both men were also indicted for driving under the influence of intoxicants, according to Hilo Circuit court filings.

Rusty Okino, 27, was charged in connection with a crash in Keaukaha on Nov. 25, 2006 that caused the death of a 22-year-old Hilo woman, Tim Yasuho Inaba Young.

Police were called to the crash scene shortly before 4:20 a.m. and determined that a 1990 Ford two-door sedan driven by a Hilo man was traveling west on Kalaniana'ole Avenue when the driver lost control, ran off the right side of the road and struck a mailbox and palm trees several hundred feet east of Akepa Street.

Police said the driver, who was not wearing a seat belt, was thrown from the vehicle. Young, a passenger in the car, was also not wearing a seat belt but remained inside the vehicle, police said.

Both Okino and Young were taken to Hilo Medical Center, where Young died at 7:44 a.m. Okino was initially listed in serious condition, and required surgery, police said.

Police said speed and alcohol were believed to be factors in the crash. Okino was also charged with driving without insurance.

In the second case, Tavis Nactor was indicted for first-degree negligent homicide, driving while intoxicated, driving without a license and driving without insurance in connection with a crash that killed 25-year-old Aaron Alvarez on Sept. 16, 2006.

Big Island police said the driver of the car in that crash, a 25-year-old Pepe'ekeo man, was traveling south on Hawai'i Belt Road just north of the 8-mile marker in Papa'ikou in a 1993 Nissan four-door sedan when he lost control shortly before 6:56 p.m., ran off the right side of the road, struck an embankment and overturned.

Alvarez, also of Pepe'ekeo, was a rear-seat passenger in the car, and was thrown from the vehicle. He was not wearing a seat belt, police said.

Police said they considered speed and alcohol to be factors in that crash as well.

If convicted, both Okino and Nactor each face up to 10 years in prison.

Big Island police yesterday asked for help in locating Nactor, whose last known address was in Pepe'ekeo. Anyone with information is asked to call the police nonemergency number at (808) 935-3311.

Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.

Reach Kevin Dayton at kdayton@honoluluadvertiser.com.