A Puna man police say crossed the centerline of Keaau-Pahoa Road on Tuesday, causing a collision that killed him and an elderly woman, had a long string of traffic citations, including four speeding tickets.
According to court records, 12 cases were initiated for 26-year-old Sean Michael Magee going back to 2009. All but one of those cases were on Oahu, where Magee lived before moving to the Big Island in 2015.
Magee’s latest traffic offense was Nov. 2 in Puna, when he was cited for driving 64 mph in a 45 mph zone and not wearing a seat belt. Court records indicate he owed $264 for that ticket and $149 for two previous tickets, for driving without headlights and not wearing a seat belt.
On Oahu, Magee was cited June 25, 2014, for driving 72 mph in a 55 mph zone, Sept. 14, 2010, for driving 62 mph in a 45 mph zone, and June 18, 2010, for driving 59 mph in a 35 mph zone.
Other citations include leaving the scene of an accident Oct. 11, 2014, and several tickets for driving without a license and/or insurance.
Three of those cases, two for driving without a license and another for driving without insurance and failure to surrender license plates, were dismissed.
Magee was driving a 2012 Nissan Altima toward Pahoa near the 2-mile marker of Keaau-Pahoa Road (Highway 130) and was apparently trying to overtake another vehicle when he collided with a 2002 Toyota RAV 4 SUV driving toward Keaau.
After being struck, the SUV collided with a 2005 pickup truck, which also was heading in the Keaau direction, driven by a 24-year-old Hilo man, who was not injured.
The collision, which closed the highway and snarled traffic for five hours, killed Magee and Eleanor Benedict, an 86-year-old passenger in the SUV driven by her 54-year-old daughter-in-law, Robin Benedict, the program coordinator of the Friends of the Children’s Justice Center.
Robin Benedict suffered numerous injuries in the crash and remains hospitalized at Hilo Medical Center.
Retired Hawaii County Prosecutor Jay Kimura is the board president for the Friends of the Children’s Justice Center. He said Benedict is the only actual employee of the organization supporting the CJC, a resource for abused children operated by the state Judiciary.
“She is a warm and caring person. It’s a big loss for us just trying to cover for her,” Kimura said. “When I saw her, she was heavily sedated, although she was talking, but with some difficulties because of the injuries.”
Kimura said Benedict suffered numerous broken bones.
“She’ll be out for awhile,” he said. “The family had to deal with her injuries plus (her mother-in-law) passed away, also. It’s quite difficult.”
Eleanor Benedict was the mother of Robin Benedict’s husband, Gary.
“It’s just a very, very shocking and unfortunate situation, and we’re continuing to pray for her and the family,” Kimura said.
Police opened a negligent homicide investigation. A police statement said it’s unknown if speed, alcohol or drugs were involved in the fatal crash.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
