LIHU‘E — The Lawa‘i driver involved in the fatal two-vehicle Christmas Eve 2020 crash was arrested Tuesday on a warrant issued Monday based on a grand-jury indictment issued late last month that charged him with 12 criminal counts ranging from manslaughter to negligent homicide.
Sandon Igne, 32, was operating a westbound pickup truck that veered onto the shoulder before crossing back into the westbound lane, and then into the eastbound lane, hitting an oncoming sedan near Knudsen Gap (Halfway Bridge), east of the Maluhia Road (Tree Tunnel) junction.
The sedan, operated by a 19-year-old driver, contained three other passengers, including rear passenger, 49-year-old Hanama‘ulu resident Eugenia Villanueva, who suffered fatal injuries. A 71-year-old rear ‘Ele‘ele passenger, Delfin Geronimo, suffered serious, life-threatening injuries and was medevaced to O‘ahu. He died in September as a result of these injuries.
The Dec. 23 grand-jury indictment charged Igne with two counts of manslaughter and two counts of negligent homicide in the first degree for these deaths.
According to a Kaua‘i Police Department motor-vehicle-accident report, Igne tested positive for the presence of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. He also had a blood-alcohol level of 0.133%. The state’s legal limit is 0.08%
Igne was also charged with three counts of negligent injury, operating a vehicle under the influence, inattention to driving, reckless driving, promoting a harmful drug and prohibited acts related to drug paraphernalia.
Igne was first arrested on charges of manslaughter and three counts of negligent injury in December 2020, and was released pending further investigation.
“The Kaua‘i Office of the Prosecuting Attorney indicated that investigations of this type of major collision often take a significant amount of time and result in voluminous reports, often leading to extended periods of time between the events and completing charging,” Acting Prosecuting Attorney Rebecca Like said Wednesday. “An indictment is a mere allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.”
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Ramsey Ross will handle the case for OPA, Like said.
Igne was released on bond. He is scheduled to appear in court at 9 a.m. on Jan. 18.
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Sabrina Bodon, editor, can be reached at 245-0441 or sbodon@thegardenisland.com.
