HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
KONA CRIMINAL INVESTIGATI0N SECTION
LIEUTENANT HENRY W. HICKMAN
PHONE: 326-4203
APRIL 29, 2003
KUULEI HAUNANI LEWIS
…arrested for manslaughter
MEDIA RELEASE
North Kohala police arrested a 32-year-old woman for manslaughter Tuesday (April 29, 2003) after she allegedly drove her car into a male victim, causing him to strike his head on the ground.
The suspect, arrested at 6:20 p.m., was identified as Kuulei Haunani Leith-Ellen Lewis, of a Makapala address in North Kohala.
Responding to a 12:49 a.m. of North Kohala to find a male lying on the roadway in front of a 1995 Honda Passport.
Fire rescue was called, but attempts to resuscitate the victim were unsuccessful. The victim was later taken to the Kona Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 11:11 a.m.
Police have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death of the victim, whom they have not yet identified.
An investigation determined that Lewis got into the car while having a verbal argument with the victim, who was standing in front of the vehicle. Lewis placed the car into gear and drove forward.
The victim then jumped onto the hood of the car and was carried for a distance when Lewis stopped abruptly, causing the victim to fly off the hood and land on the road, striking his head on the pavement.
Lewis then fled the area never returned to the scene of the accident.
Lewis is being held in the Kona cellblock pending further investigation by Kona Criminal Investigation Section detectives.
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