A Hilo grand jury indicted 37 year-old Brandon Walser of Oklahoma on manslaughter, negligent homicide, and negligent injury charges related to a February 2024 Highway 19 traffic collision that killed Marcella Tellez.

After Walser was located and arrested by authorities in Oklahoma last month, Investigators with the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney escorted him back to Hawai‘i Island to face his criminal charges.

Yesterday Walser made his initial Hilo Circuit Court appearance where his bail was maintained at $500,000.00. A further proceedings hearing is scheduled for December 29, 2025.

As the Indictment alleges, Walser is charged with Manslaughter (recklessly caused the death of another person), Negligent Homicide in the First Degree (cause the death of another person by the operation of a motor vehicle in a negligent manner while under the influence of alcohol) and Negligent Injury in the First Degree. Prosecutors have further alleged that Walser was a highly intoxicated driver elevating the negligent homicide offense from a class B to a class A felony. A highly intoxicated driver is a driver having a blood alcohol level of .15 or more grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters or cubic centimeters of blood. Manslaughter and Negligent Homicide in the First Degree (highly intoxicated driver) are both class A felony offenses which carries a penalty of a twenty-year prison term. Negligent Injury in the First Degree is a class C felony offense which carries a maximum penalty of a five-year prison term.

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