Norman

WAILUKU — A 10-year prison term was ordered Tuesday for a man who admitted he was “high” on drugs when he drove away after hitting a moped to cause a collision that killed the moped operator and critically injured his passenger.

As part of his sentence, Charles Norman, 39, was prohibited from obtaining a driver’s license for the rest of his life.

“This collision was not an accident,” Deputy Prosecutor Brandon Segal said. “It was completely preventable. It was the defendant’s choice to use methamphetamine and get behind the wheel of a car.”

Norman had pleaded guilty to two counts of leaving the scene of a collision involving death or serious bodily injury, first-degree negligent homicide and first-degree negligent injury in connection with the crash at 4:27 a.m. June 16, 2018, on Puunene Avenue near Airport Access Road in Kahului.

Norman said he was driving home after going to Kihei at about 3 in the morning and had stopped at a stoplight before crossing the road when the light turned green.

“Something hit the car,” he said, describing that night during a court hearing in December. “All of a sudden, I panicked. I kept driving.”

He said he turned onto East Hawaii Street in Kahului, where he parked the 2006 Toyota Corolla, and walked back to his apartment at Harbor Lights condominiums. Norman said he called the owner of the car and told him to check on the car.

Norman said he learned someone had died when police showed up and arrested him.

The moped operator, 36-year-old Kahului resident Joey Ruiz, died at the crash scene after he was dragged about 900 feet, police said. The woman who was his passenger was thrown off the moped and hospitalized in critical condition, police said.

She suffered serious bone fractures and life-threatening lacerations, Segal said.

“By all accounts, Joey Ruiz was a friendly, generous and helpful young man who was loved by his family and his friends,” Segal said.

He said Ruiz’s mother “literally has been counting the days since she lost her son.”

“No amount of time this defendant spends in jail will bring Joey back,” Segal said.

In addition to impairing coordination, methamphetamine use “causes people to do callous and heartless things,” Segal said.

“The defendant left the scene,” he said. “He left Joey to die.

“This case demonstrated the tragic and devastating consequences methamphetamine has had on our community.”

Both Segal and defense attorney Matthew Padgett asked the judge to follow a plea agreement recommending the 10-year prison term for Norman.

Segal also argued for the lifetime revocation of Norman’s driver’s license.

“The defendant cannot be trusted to respect the privilege of driving on our roadways,” Segal said.

Padgett said, “This was a senseless tragedy.”

He said the only good that might come is if others learn from Norman’s actions.

“Perhaps it will save a life or two,” Padgett said.

In court Tuesday, Norman apologized to Ruiz’s family members who were in the courtroom gallery.

Norman said he had gone to school with Ruiz.

“He was my friend,” Norman said. “There’s nothing I can say that would change what I did. I was wrong.

“I do think about it every day, when I wake up, when I go sleep, how I could have prevented it by not getting behind the wheel.”

Second Circuit Judge Peter Cahill said he had considered sentencing Norman to longer consecutive prison terms but decided to follow the plea agreement reached by the defense and prosecution.

“Everyone involved in the case has some involvement with the criminal justice system,” Cahill said. “It’s just a sad commentary.”

He noted that Norman and Ruiz went to elementary school together.

“So they had a connection from the past,” Cahill said. “It’s just horrible that their connection going forward is Mr. Norman killed Mr. Ruiz.”

Norman has had “a questionable and checkered past,” Cahill said, noting the defendant previously spent 10 years in prison after being sentenced to five-year prison terms in two cases and had failed in an attempt to complete the Maui Drug Court program.

Cahill noted that the case hasn’t drawn as much attention as other negligent homicide cases.

“But the victims need to be recognized,” he said.

Norman has spent more than eight months in jail.

* Lila Fujimoto can be reached at lfujimoto@mauinews.com.