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Posted: Monday, October 8th, 2012 9:09 AM HST

Hilo man sentenced in Volcanoes National Park fatality

By Ken Hupp - 67AM KPUA News

A 21-year-old Hilo man has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for a traffic accident that killed his friend in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park last year. U.S. District Judge David Ezra went along with the sentence to which Julien T. Quiocho agreed to when he pleaded guilty to negligent homicide earlier this year in a deal with the federal prosecutor. 20-year old Bryson Areola of Hilo died June 12, 2011 when he was riding in a pickup truck driven by Quicho, that ran off Highway 11, crashed into a lava field and threw both men from the vehicle. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Song said the pickup truck was traveling faster than 100 mph when it skidded and left the roadway. Ezra said he would not have gone along with the deal had Areola’s father not agreed with it. But Arnold Areola said he agrees with the plea deal if Quiocho learns from his mistake.