Charges filed in California deaths of Tongan royals

SAN FRANCISCO - Prosecutors near San Francisco have charged an 18-year-old California woman with three counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence in the deaths of three people, including two members of the royal family of Tonga.

Prince Tu'ipelehake, nephew of the King, and his wife Princess Kaimana died along with their Tongan driver Vinisia Hefa.

Edith Delgado of Redwood City, California, pleaded not guilty to the charges in court on Friday local time.

She was ordered held in custody on US$3 million bail ($4.9m), said Steve Wagstaffe, chief deputy district attorney for San Mateo County.

She faces eight years in prison if found guilty on all charges, Wagstaffe said.

The district attorney of the county south of San Francisco is prosecuting Delgado for the automobile accident deaths.

The accident occurred on Highway 101 in Menlo Park just before 9pm on Wednesday local time after Delgado's vehicle collided with a sports utility vehicle driven by Hefa, which flipped several times, killing its three occupants.

Prince Tu'ipelehake, 56, chaired Tonga's national committee for political reform, whose findings are due to be reported to King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV by the end of next month and then debated in Parliament.

He was in the United States to discuss political reforms with members of America's large Tongan community, which numbers close to 40,000.

-REUTERS / HERALD ONLINE STAFF