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Man gets 20 years for deadly altercation on Kauai

A 36-year-old man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after he fatally ran over a 37-year-old man with a vehicle following an altercation on Kauai.

Fifth Circuit Judge Kathleen Watanabe sentenced Evan R. Craft Wednesday after he was convicted of manslaughter in connection with the death of Michael Helppie Jr. of Koloa.

The Hawaii Paroling Authority will determine the minimum term Craft must serve in prison before he becomes eligible for parole.

During the early morning hours on June 1, 2015 outside of the Nawiliwili Tavern, Craft, of Westlake Village, Calif., and Helppie were involved in an argument that escalated.

Craft then entered his vehicle parked in the jetty area and accelerated toward Helppie, fatally striking and crushing him against a concrete parking lot divider, according to a news release by the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney.

Later that month, Watanabe found Craft guilty of manslaughter after he pleaded no contest to the charge.

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