Kona man who fatally struck a pedestrian last year sentenced to 10 years in prison

A man from Kona was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to fatally striking a pedestrian while driving under the influence last July.

On Monday, Garrett A. Duran appeared in 3rd Circuit Court, where Judge Wendy DeWeese passed judgment. In November, the 35-year-old changed his plea to guilty on charges of first-degree negligent homicide, accidents involving death or serious bodily injury and operating vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant as a second offense.

Duran remained out of custody for the majority of court proceedings after posting $106,100 bail. He was remanded back into custody after sentencing.

According to Hawai‘i Island police, Duran was driving a Subaru Forester near the intersection of Queen Ka‘ahumanu Highway and Kimo Drive when he collided with Christian Lipka, who was walking alongside the roadway in the early morning hours of July 22.

Duran fled the scene on foot and was contacted by police a short time later on nearby Kanalani Street. Police obtained a blood draw search warrant, results indicated that Duran had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.132.

Duran’s vehicle sustained heavy front-end damage, a cracked windshield, and had all of its airbags deployed.

Lipka’s traumatic injuries included multiple broken bones and ribs, lacerations, blood in his skull, a lacerated spleen, and a broken neck.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to Christian Lipka and his ‘ohana. Impaired driving remains one of the greatest public safety concerns on Hawai‘i Island,” said Hawai‘i County Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen.