Mother’s fight for more traffic laws after daughter’s death

HONOLULU (KHON2) — Not a day goes by that Chevylyn Saniatan does not think about her daughter Sara Yara. Yara was hit by a driver over a year ago on a crosswalk on her way to school.

The driver Mitchel Miyashiro has an extensive record of traffic citations. Miyashiro was charged with negligent homicide and his trial is scheduled for September.

House Speaker Scott Saiki was one of many who called for tougher penalties for these types of repeat offenses, and now a bill looking to stiffen the law passed its final hurdle in the state legislature.

Unauthorized drivers with two or more convictions for the same offense within five years could face class C felony charges.

“This driver was able to go to traffic court over 200 times and simply pay a fine,” said Saiki. “That’s very important because a class c felony provides for a stricter penalty which is jail time and a monetary fine, but it also will mean that a judge will be overseeing that case.”

Saniatan considers the bill a good start and even encouraged Governor Josh Green to sign it, but admits she was hoping for more out of this measure. First and second-time offenders could get away with simply paying a fine, and maybe jail time if a judge orders it.

Saniatan said, “I’m just kind of disappointed that on the first and second we continue to fine them. These people somehow somehow get the money to pay for the fine.”

Saniatan also does not agree with unlicensed drivers getting ticketed but being able to drive away. She would rather have a law that requires the car to be towed at the time of the offense.

“This is not for me,” said Saniatan. “It’s for the community and it is for us to remember what happens when we drive without a license and we speed on the road, we lose a loved one, we lose Sara.”

Saiki said there are still questions about imposing automatic impoundment of a car that need to be considered, but it remains a continuing conversation.

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Governor Green has until July 10 to sign or veto the bill.