A driver who killed a woman while he had twice the legal level of alcohol in his system has been sentenced to three years in prison.
Malolo ‘Īnia, 31, was sentenced by Hon. Justice Cato in the Supreme Court after being found guilty of one count of causing death while under the influence of alcohol and two counts of causing bodily injury while driving under the influence of alcohol.
‘Īnia was driving south along Bypass Road at Ma’ufanga about 2pm on January 1, 2015 when the accident happened.
The vehicle went off the road and hit two people on the side of the road. He then crashed into a house and hit a woman who was standing near her building.
The bystanders were not seriously injured, but received medical treatment. The woman died in hospital from a fractured skull and brain injuries.
At sentence, ‘Īnia’s lawyer produced a police statement from a witness to say that a young person had crossed the road shortly before the incident and this had caused the prisoner to break heavily, causing the car to spin and the driver to lose control as the car left the road.
This evidence had not been produced at trial, but was taken into account during the sentencing. Mr Justice Cato took into account that the prisoner had apologised to the family of the deceased, paid for travel arrangements for the funeral and the children’s education.
The final year of his sentence has been suspended on condition that he commit no further offences punishable by imprisonment during the period of his suspension.
The main points
- A driver who killed a woman while he was drunk has been sentenced to three years in prison.
- Malolo ‘Nia, 31, was driving along Bypass Road at Ma’ufanga on January 1, 2015 when his vehicle swerved off the road.
- He hit and injured two pedestrians and then hit a woman standing next to her house.
- She died in hospital from a fractured skull and brain injuries.
