LIHUE — A Kapaa man convicted of reckless driving and negligent injury in one case, and an assault in a second, was given six months in jail and felony probation on Wednesday in 5th Circuit Court. County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
LIHUE — A Kapaa man convicted of reckless driving and negligent injury in one case, and an assault in a second, was given six months in jail and felony probation on Wednesday in 5th Circuit Court.
County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Melinda Mendes said the incident happened on Aug. 6, 2012, when Geoffery Theotholus Beech, 27 at the time, decided to drive without a license or insurance after two previous convictions for driving while intoxicated.
After driving recklessly around cars in both lanes of traffic, Beech collided with the victim who was doing a U-turn to get out of the traffic jam caused by cars that had stopped to avoid the erratic driver.
Beech later claimed that he had heart palpitations and difficulty breathing, which is why he got behind the wheel to drive himself to the hospital, Mendes said. This medical complaint was never divulged to the medics who responded to the accident, she added.
Tests performed after the accident detected the presence of marijuana in Beech, but the substance had been used much earlier and was considered active or a factor in the accident, Mendes said.
State Deputy Public Defender Samuel Jajich said the toxicology screening of Beech was negative. There was no presence of alcohol or drugs in Beech at the time of the accident, he said.
Judge Kathleen Watanabe said she did not buy the story that Beech was driving because of a health issue.
“Who in their right mind would get behind the wheel of a car when they can’t breath,” Watanabe said.
Watanabe ordered Beech to comply with any programs or testing that the probation department orders, to include a substance abuse evaluation, anger management and a mental health assessment.
He was also ordered to pay $27,057.79 in restitution to the victim. It is the amount not covered by insurance.
Beech, now 29, changed his plea to no contest to first-degree negligent injury, driving without a license in the first case and to third-degree assault in the second on March 4. The deal also included an amended petty misdemeanor charge of third-degree assault.
Mendes said Beech was intoxicated and went to the worksite of his former employer. He got into a confrontation with someone at the office that resulted in the charge, she said.
Jajich said Beech has taken these matters seriously and is remorseful. He has made changes in his life so it doesn’t happen again.
Beech had family and a fiancé in the courtroom, along with his employer.
