Justice for Sara Yara: driver sentenced to 20 years in hit-and-run death

Nov 05, 2026

A Honolulu judge handed down a 20-year prison sentence to the driver who killed 16-year-old Sara Yara, closing a nearly four-year case that devastated her family.

  • Mitchell Miaro ran a red light and struck Sara and a friend as they crossed in a marked crosswalk on their way to McKinley High School in February 2023.
  • He fled the scene and lied to police, falsely claiming his truck had been stolen.
  • Sara's twin sister witnessed the killing firsthand and has had to live with that memory.
  • Miaro had a long history of traffic violations before the deadly crash.
  • At sentencing, he apologized but said he wasn't asking for forgiveness; Sara's mother said she forgives him anyway, citing her faith.

Outlook: With sentencing complete, the case is now closed, though the family says the grief will stay with them permanently.

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