KONA, HAWAII – Paulette Paulich, 46, of South Kona, was found guilty by a jury on charges related to the death of motorcyclist Mark Brown in a 2018 hit-and-run. Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen announced the verdict today, confirming that Paulich was found guilty of Negligent Homicide in the Second Degree (as an included offense) and Leaving the Scene of an Accident Involving Death or Serious Bodily Injury.
The incident occurred on the evening of July 16, 2018, on Highway 11 in South Kona. According to evidence presented during the trial, Paulich was driving her black Cadillac CTS northbound when she struck Mark Brown’s motorcycle from behind. The collision separated Brown from his motorcycle, resulting in fatal injuries.
Despite extensive damage to her vehicle, including a seized front passenger wheel, Paulich continued driving northbound towards Lani Kona Road. The damaged wheel left a tire mark stretching from the crash site to where her vehicle became disabled on an embankment. Paulich then abandoned her vehicle and fled on foot to her nearby home.
Initially, Paulich denied operating the vehicle when contacted by officers. However, after months of investigation led by Sergeant Kimo Keli‘ipa‘akaua of the Hawai‘i Police Department, evidence emerged linking Paulich to the crash. Eight months after the incident, Paulich revised her story, admitting to driving the Cadillac but denying colliding with Brown’s motorcycle.
Judge Robert Kim ordered Paulich to return to court for her sentencing hearing on July 28, 2021, at 8 a.m. She faces a potential sentence of five years for Negligent Homicide in the Second Degree and ten years for Leaving the Scene of an Accident Involving Death or Serious Bodily Injury. Paulich remains on supervised release until her sentencing.
First Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Stephen Frye, who prosecuted the case, expressed his condolences to the Brown family. “The family of Mark Brown suffered a tremendous loss as a result of the Defendant’s actions in this case, and our office extends its deepest sympathies to the family,” said Frye. He also commended the work of Sergeant Keli‘ipa‘akaua and Officer Foxworthy in the investigation and preparation of the case.
The Office of the Prosecuting Attorney encourages anyone with information to assist local law enforcement to contact Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300 in East Hawai‘i or (808) 329-8181 in West Hawai‘i.