“She was drunk as well – she didn’t look normal. “How drunk? She was laughing a lot at me and was not taking me seriously and I could smell alcohol on her”
Prosecution witnesses giving evidence during the trial of a 19-year-old girl accused over the deaths of two young men last year have poured cold water on the claim that Leslie Kohlhase was not the driver of the pick-up truck.
In the Supreme Court yesterday, they testified that the accused drove the vehicle involved in the tragic accident at Vailoa. What's more, they claimed that she was drunk.
Kohlhase faces four charges in relation to the deaths of Jessie Risale, 22, of Vaimoso and Thesaurus Heather, 20, of Tufuiopa. She has pleaded not guilty to two counts of manslaughter and two alternative charges of negligent driving causing death.
Lawyer Lei’ataualesa Daryl Clarke is representing the defendant and is assisted by lawyer, Leilani Tamati. The prosecution team on the other hand consists of Precious Chang and Leone Su’a Mailo, of the Attorney General’s Office.
The Chief Justice, His Honour Patu Tiava’asu’e Falefatu Sapolu is presiding over the assessor trial.
Yesterday, Simon To’omalatai, 21, of Falelauniu, told the Court that Kohlhase was driving the Toyota Land Cruiser pick up prior to the accident.
The witness said he was part of an after party where the defendant, the deceased men and himself drank beer and a bottle of Jim Beam at Le Well.
He said the party was disbursed when the Police stopped by.
But Lei’ataualesa disputed this saying that the party only stopped when Zack Meredith told them they had to leave.
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Zack apparently told them they were making too much noise and that a petrol station attendant next door had complained.
But Mr To’omalatai said this might not necessarily be true since they stayed on for some time after the petrol station attendant had left.
The witness said he travelled in the vehicle driven by the accused and in the car were Fa’atoia Tupu, Thesaurus Heather and Jessie Risale.
He couldn’t recall where he was dropped off, saying it might have been between St Mary’s and the Treasure Garden.
Another witness, Christina Paul, 23, gave evidence that the defendant was her little sister’s best friend.
She told the Court that prior to the accident on Wednesday 20 November, the company she worked for had an office function at Y-not Bar. She invited her friends on Facebook to be a part of the event.
These friends included; Fa’atoia Tupu, the accused, the two deceased men, Nafanua Heather and Michelle Urhle among other people.
At the end of the night, she left with Ms Urhle, Thesaurus, Faatoia and Jessie, to drop of Tamisha Lei Sam at Vaigaga before heading to her sister’s place at Alafua.
When they arrived, her sister Moira was there with Kohlhase.
She told the Court she then received a phone call from her mother that she needed to come home to take her child to the hospital.
As a result, she told the boys to go with Kohlhase.
Ms Paul went on to tell the Court that later, she went to look for her sister Moira because she was not answering her phone.
She contacted Thesaurus, the only person from the crowd she had a number for. Thesaurus was at home when she called.
According to her, he refused to give her Jessie Risale’s number unless she picked him up because he wanted to know where everyone else was.
Ms Paul did and they called Risale who informed them that they were at Le Well. When they arrived, Ms Paul said she found her sister in Kohlhase’s car. She had been vomiting.
When she asked about what happened to her sister, “they [Kohlhase and others in the party] laughed at me and said everyone is drinking and she is drunk.”
At this point, Chief Justice Patu interrupted to ask the witness how Kohlhase appeared at the time.
“She was drunk as well – she didn’t look normal,” she said.
“How drunk?”
“She was laughing a lot at me and was not taking me seriously and I could smell alcohol on her,” Ms Paul said.
Ms Paul went on to tell the Court that she had an argument with Kohlhase. She also testified that she told Kohlhase then that she was taking her sister home. She claimed that Thesaurus helped her to carry her sister to her vehicle.
As they were about to leave, a Police car turned into the Le Well property. She noticed those in the party taking off into their cars.
She also saw Kohlhase jump into her white truck. With her were Jessie, Fa’atoia, and Thesaurus.
“Jessie and Thesaurus jumped onto the back of the truck,” she added.
She then drove to Lotopa where she dropped a cousin off but when she got to Vaimoso, she wanted to check up on Thesaurus if he was okay.
He did not answer his phone and so she called Jessie. According to Ms Paul, “an unfamiliar voice” answered. That was when she made her way to Vailoa Faleata.
When she got there, she said she saw Jessie was laying on the road and he was “not moving.”
Thesaurus had already been taken to the hospital. Fa’atoia was standing next to Jessie’s body.
“I asked him where Leslie is and he said he didn’t know.”
She then asked some men from Vailoa who were there if they saw a young woman and “they said no”.
Ms Paul then spoke with an elderly man who sent some people out to where the car was to search for Kohlhase.
When they found her, they took her to the hospital.
The witness said she stayed behind with “Jessie because I didn’t want him to be left alone.”
The hearing continues.
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