Grand Jury Indictment Made in 2016 Fatal Hit-and Run on Pi‘ilani Hwy

Maui Now graphic.

A Kīhei man is in police custody today following a grand jury indictment on Wednesday for his alleged involvement in a fatal hit-and-run accident that occurred nearly two and a half years ago.

The accident was reported at 8:50 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 27, 2016 on the Piʻilani Highway at the intersection of Uwapo Road, and claimed the life of 16-year-old Hannah Simmons of Maui.

On Wednesday, May 1, 2019 at approximately 3 p.m., following the grand jury indictment, Charles Tyler Hardy, 23, of Kīhei was located and arrested by Maui Police Department investigators with the Traffic Division’s Vehicle Homicide Section for the following offenses: accidents involving death; and first degree negligent homicide.

He was being held in lieu of $250,000 bail at last report.

Hardy was previously arrested and released pending further investigation back in December of 2016.

Traffic Commander William Hankins said the arrest is the “culmination of hundreds of hours spent reconstructing the crash by highly trained crash investigators of the Maui Police Department Vehicle Homicide Section.”

“Families of crash victims who are killed or seriously injured deserve justice,” said Lt. Hankins. “It is the goal of the Maui Police Department Vehicle Homicide Section to thoroughly investigate these crashes and work with the prosecutor’s office to hold those responsible for their actions. We owe it to the victim and their family members to help bring closure from these avoidable crashes.”