LIHU‘E — In a 20-minute span a few days before Christmas 2008, a despondent Randy Melendez caused seven consecutive traffic accidents, injuring three people in the eight-mile stretch between Lihu‘e and Kapa‘a.

At his sentencing Tuesday, Melendez said his wife had left him, his contracting business was floundering, he worried how he was going to make two home mortgage payments, and he was on prescribed medication to ease his hurt.

Those weren’t offered as excuses, only as explanations for his behavior Dec. 21, when he and his Toyota pickup truck were involved in a series of events leading to Melendez being charged with 13 crimes, including five counts of leaving the scene of an accident causing property damage, four counts of reckless driving, one count of leaving the scene of an accident involving injury to another person, two counts of criminal property damage, and a single count of resisting an order to stop.

For the full story, see Tuesday’s print edition of The Garden Island. Check back at www.thegardenisland.com again Tuesday evening for a preview of the local stories set to run in Wednesday’s newspaper.