Suspect in Mother’s Day hit and run killing ordered held in home confinement until trial.
Judge refuses to free suspect in fatal Oakland crash
Timothy Hamano, the Piedmont wealth manager charged with crashing his Lexus into Gregory Turnage Jr. and killing the Oakland father before fleeing the scene, was ordered Wednesday afternoon by a judge to stay home with an ankle monitor as he awaits trial.
Alameda County Superior Court Judge Jacob Blea called Hamano a “substantial danger to the community” in the arraignment at the Dublin courthouse, ordered him to make $125,000 bail, and prohibited him from drinking alcohol or driving. Hours earlier, a lawsuit was filed on behalf of Turnage’s 10yearold son, Miles.
The wrongful death and negligence lawsuit alleges Hamano was intoxicated at the time of the May 9 crash after celebrating Mother’s Day at a San Francisco golf course and restaurant with drinks. Hamano does not face an alcoholrelated charge in his criminal case.
“He has robbed my 10yearold son of his father and me of my partner,” Turnage’s partner, Angie Brey, said outside the courthouse, wiping away tears. “My son, Miles, can’t speak of his father because it’s too hard.”
Investigators have charged Hamano with felony hitandrun leading to death as well as vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. Investigators told The Chronicle that while there were indications the 64yearold had been drinking, because he fled the scene after
the crash, they weren’t able to obtain enough evidence.
If convicted, Hamano could face up to 10 years in prison. The lawsuit is asking for damages in excess of $25,000.
Hamano’s attorney Colin Cooper said during the hearing that a “medical incident precipitated the accident,” but didn’t provide any details. He said his client suffered a concussion after the crash and was hospitalized. The judge, attorneys and Hamano appeared over videoconference for the hearing, with the defendant, wearing a white collared shirt, appearing to be sitting in his house. He did not speak or enter a plea.
“He doesn’t have a harmful bone or gene in his body,” Cooper told the judge, saying Hamano has been “contrite” since the crash.
The judge denied Cooper’s request to keep Hamano released on his own recognizance.
“I have to disagree that this was a tragic accident,” Blea said. “This is an accident that occurred as a result of ... a disregard for human life.”
Turnage, 41, was finishing his daily walk to get his steps goal for the day in his Glenview neighborhood when police said Hamano’s white Lexus failed to negotiate a curve along Park Boulevard. The car slammed into Turnage around 5:15 p.m., throwing him onto the hood and then the sidewalk on the
3800 block of Park Boulevard. Police and witnesses said Hamano got out of the damaged car, looked at Turnage on the ground and eventually walked away from the scene, leaving behind his wife in the front passenger seat behind deployed air bags and a dying Turnage.
When officers arrived to the scene, police said Hamano’s wife told them that the couple had been celebrating Mother’s Day and that the husband had drunk some Bloody Marys.
“Based upon the statement provided by Hamano’s wife, he was consuming alcoholic beverages throughout the day prior to the collision,” Oakland police Sgt. Timothy Dolan said in court documents. “His intoxication level was never determined during the followup investigation.”
Police got a search warrant and obtained receipts from a San Francisco restaurant where the Hamanos celebrated a late lunch before the crash. The bill included two Bloody
Marys and a wine charge for $10, Dolan said, for a fourperson party. In addition, he said investigators determined the couple had been at a San Francisco golf course beforehand where they ate hot dogs and drank beers. It wasn’t clear how much Hamano imbibed at either place, Dolan said.
Outside of court on Wednesday, Turnage’s family spoke to members of the press.
“Miles lost his father in a senseless death, and preventable if Mr. Hamano had acted
like a responsible adult,” said Turnage’s mother, Mina Carrillo.
“Gregory was standing on the sidewalk in his own neighborhood when he was run over and killed,” said the family’s attorney, Boone Callaway. “It shocked the community. It devastated this family. And it left this 10yearold boy without a father.”
Miles will turn 11 next month, Brey said. The boy looked forward to celebrating with cake and playing Nintendo Switch with his father.
“Ultimately, we’re here to call on the D.A. to push for Timothy Hamano to feel the full weight of his actions, just like our family has,” Brey said.