Driver in deadly car crash jailed for 20 years

Chanel Lafua who crashed into a gate at Starkist killing four men in 2021 was sentenced to 20 years in jail. Sentencing in this matter was handed down by Associate Justice, Elvis Patea.

Lafua apologized for his actions when he took the stand at his sentencing hearing this morning.

The apology was directed towards the men who lost their lives and the families of the victims, Lafua asked for their forgiveness due to his reckless actions.

Lafua, was the driver of the vehicle that killed four people in front of the StarKist Samoa in December.

The defendant was initially charged with 4 counts of homicide by vehicle and 4 counts of driving while under the influence of alcohol causing death, one count of felonious restraint involving domestic violence, along with misdemeanors charges of 3rd-degree assault and 4 counts of reckless driving causing bodily injury.

The wife of one of the men that died took the stand on behalf of all the families involved and said their lives have never been the same since the death of their loved ones and that Lafua should be sentenced to life imprisonment.

However, he entered a guilty plea to four charges of vehicular homicide while all the other criminal counts were dismissed.

Associate Justice Patea sentenced the defendant to five years in prison for each of the vehicular homicide charges and ordered that it be served consecutively.