KEALAKEKUA — An Alaska woman was sentenced to up to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to attempted manslaughter.
Kona Circuit Court Judge Robert D.S. Kim handed down his judgment to 31-year-old Crystal Young on Wednesday. Deputy Public Defender Ann Datta filed a motion that requested the court reconsider a reduced sentence or probation for her client.
Young was arrested in December after she ran her then boyfriend over with a vehicle at Old Kona Airport Park. Originally pleading not guilty to second-degree attempted murder, the defendant pleaded guilty July 10 to the lesser charge of attempted manslaughter. As part of a plea agreement, the Class B felony charge of accident involving death/serious injury also was dismissed.
Young admitted in the plea agreement that she knew striking the victim with the vehicle was a “substantial step in causing his death.”
At the time she struck her former boyfriend, Young said she was “under extreme mental or emotional disturbance.”
According to the plea agreement, Young admitted to intentionally driving a 2017 Buick Regal at her then boyfriend and intentionally hitting him with the car, causing a head injury.
Young stated in the plea agreement that December’s incident stems from an alleged domestic attack between her and the victim Sept. 22, 2017, in Alaska.
“On that day I was assaulted … at a time when he was drinking, repeatedly struck me with his fist resulting in my eye almost swelling shut …” Young stated in the plea agreement.
On the day Young hit her former boyfriend with a car, they were arguing and he reportedly had been drinking alcohol.
The 36-year-old man was taken to Kona Community Hospital for treatment. He was later flown to The Queen’s Medical Center on Oahu in critical condition. At the time of the incident, Hawaii Police Department Maj. Robert Wagner said the victim was doing better but “might have long-term damage/injury.”
Wagner said the man has since been discharged from the hospital and returned home.
Email Tiffany DeMasters at tdemasters@westhawaiitoday.com.
