The mother of a Waimanalo teenager who died in a traffic accident feels that justice has not been served.
This afternoon, a judge handed down the final portion of Dwayne Canon’s sentence.
Michele Peru feels that the man who killed her son got off with just a slap on the hand.
Next week Wednesday marks three years since 15 year old Junior "Po’okela" Ilae was killed.
"That was just the worst day of my life. And it never gets easier. I don’t care what anybody thinks or says. It doesn’t get easier, at all," said Michele Peru, Po’okela’s mother.
Po’okela Ilae had been riding his moped on Kalanianaole Highway in Waimanalo in the shoulder lane, against the flow of traffic just before two in the morning, when he was hit by an SUV.
"That night, my son made a bad choice, he had alcohol in him and jumped on his moped. I know that. I deal with that every single day," said Michele Peru.
But she feels that the driver of the SUV, Dwayne Canon who was 47 at the time, also made a bad choice for driving without a license.
He was sentenced six weeks ago to one year probation after pleading no contest to 3rd degree negligent homicide, which is a misdemeanor, and driving without a license.
"I don’t understand the justice system. You know the judge just kept talking about how my son should’ve not been out there. We’ll never know why he was out there. But what about the fact that Dwayne Canon didn’t have a license? He shouldn’t have been there. That’s the part that kills me the most," said Michele Peru.
Monday afternoon, a judge handed down the final portion of his sentence.
"All we were asking in the end was for his license to be revoked for five years. And the judge said no. My son paid the ultimate price but he just got off with probation and community service," said Michele Peru.
Dwayne Canon has four prior convictions, including two drunk driving charges back in the 1980s.
"I at least want the public to know that the family we understand what my son did wrong, we get that. You know, but to let this guy go off, with no license, and just on probation and this wasn’t the first time, he had prior DUIs how much times? And I just hope it doesn’t happen to somebody else with this guy. It breaks my heart, it breaks my heart for my son," said Michele Peru.
Dwayne Canon faced up to one year in jail for his misdemeanor crime.
See the original article at: KHON2 Developing Stories
