Paulette Paulich
Today, Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen announced that a jury found a South Kona woman, 46-year-old Paulette Paulich, “Guilty” of Negligent Homicide in the Second Degree, as an included offense in Count 1, and “Guilty” as charged of Leaving the Scene of an Accident Involving Death or Serious Bodily Injury in Count 2.
Judge Robert Kim ordered Paulich, who remains on supervised release, to return to court for her sentencing hearing on July 28, 2021, at 8 a.m. Paulich faces the possibility of a five (5) year prison term for the offense of Negligent Homicide in the Second Degree and a ten (10) year prison term for the offense of Leaving the Scene of an Accident Involving Death or Serious Bodily Injury.
According to the evidence presented during the trial, on the evening of July 16, 2018, Paulich was operating her black Cadillac CTS on Highway 11 in South Kona. Paulich was traveling northbound as she approached a motorcycle, being driven by Mark Brown. Paulich struck the motorcycle from behind, causing a collision that separated Brown from his motorcycle and ultimately lead to his death.
Paulich’s vehicle suffered damage to the front passenger bumper and wheel, this damage was so extensive that the front passenger wheel seized. Despite the seized front wheel, Paulich continued to drive her vehicle northbound until reaching the intersection of Lani Kona road. As a result, Paulich’s vehicle left behind a tire mark which extended from the scene of the crash, all 2 the way to where her vehicle came to its final resting place. Paulich’s vehicle was abandoned after becoming disabled on an embankment. Paulich fled the scene by foot to her home, located nearby.
Officers later contacted Paulich at home and she denied operating her vehicle. Through the investigative efforts of Sergeant Kimo Keli‘ipa‘akaua, the lead investigator on the case, in the months following the crash, evidence was discovered establishing Paulich as the driver of her black Cadillac CTS on July 16, 2018. When questioned by police eight months after the crash, Paulich altered her narrative of the events. In this revised story, she admitted to being the driver
of her black Cadillac CTS on the night in question but denied colliding with Brown’s motorcycle.
The lead investigator is Sgt. Kimo Keli‘ipa‘akaua, Kona Patrol, Hawai‘i Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by First Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Stephen Frye.
“The family of Mark Brown suffered a tremendous loss as a result of the Defendant’s actions in this case, and our office extends itʻs deepest sympathies to the family. Sergeant Keli‘ipa‘akaua and Officer Foxworthy conducted excellent work in the investigation and preparation of this case for trial, and I thank them for their service to the community. Thanks are also extended to the community members serving on the jury who diligently and faithfully fulfilled their obligations under the law in this case,” said First Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Stephen Frye.
The Office of the Prosecuting Attorney remains dedicated to the pursuit of justice with integrity and commitment. Anyone having information to assist local law enforcement should call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300 in East Hawai‘i or (808) 329-8181 in West Hawai‘i.