Father of Child Run Over Charged With Manslaughter

The father of a 3-year-old boy who died Wednesday night when he was run over near a Kona convenience store was being held tonight on a manslaughter charge.

Police said 38-year-old Pedro Peter of Kailua-Kona was charged with 10 offenses in connection with the incident.

Other charges filed against Peter at 7:54 p.m. included four counts of failing to have child restraints in his vehicle, three counts of endangering the welfare of a minor and failing to have a driver’s license or insurance.

Peter is scheduled for an initial court appearance on Monday.

He was initially arrested Wednesday on suspicion of negligent homicide and other offenses in connection with the death of his son, Joel Peter.

Police said the child died after he fell out of the family pickup truck and was run over on the shoulder of a driveway leading to the Matsuyama Store on Route 190 in Kalaoa.

Police said an investigation showed that the boy’s sister thought that her father had parked the truck and opened the rear passenger door, at which point the victim fell out.

Not knowing that the boy had fallen out, the father continued up the driveway and ran over the child.

Pedro did not notify authorities but took his son to Kona Community Hospital in Kealakekua. Hospital employees then called police.