Attempted murder trial continued one year

Trial has been delayed for a 29-year-old woman accused of attempted murder for allegedly ramming a moped carrying two people earlier this year.

The delay of the trial, originally scheduled for Nov. 17, was sought by Keola Kama as the Kailua-Kona woman is in negotiations with prosecutors, her public defender James Greenberg said Thursday during a trial continuance hearing.

After Kama waived her right to a speedy trial and with no objections from the state, Kona Circuit Court Judge Robert D.S. Kim granted the motion to continue and set the new trial date for Nov. 16, 2021.

Kama is charged with first-degree attempted murder, two counts attempted second-degree murder and one count each first-degree criminal property damage, leaving the scene of an accident involving serious injury or death, driving without a license and failure to have no-fault motor vehicle insurance in connection with the June 13 crash that critically injured a man and woman.

According to police, Kama was reportedly driving a sedan on Kuakini Highway when the vehicle rammed a moped carrying a 30-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman.

Kama reportedly exited her vehicle and chased one of the moped’s passenger before fleeing the scene. Officers located Kama a short time later and took her into custody.

The two moped passengers were taken to Kona Community Hospital following the crash and subsequently flown to Oahu for treatment.

Kama remains in custody at Hawaii Community Correctional Center in lieu of $100,000 bail. She faces life imprisonment without the possibility of parole if convicted of first-degree attempted murder.
Source: Hawaii Tribune Herald