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Arraignment set for driver in fatal accident

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A man accused of killing a well-known Huntington Beach resident and injuring her boyfriend while under the influence is scheduled to be arraigned Monday, according to an Orange County district attorney’s office news release.

Tadashi Mizutani, 69, of Huntington Beach, is charged with vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated without gross negligence, driving under the influence causing bodily injury, driving with a blood alcohol content of .08% or more causing bodily injury and a sentencing enhancement for inflicting great bodily injury, according to the release.

He is accused of having a blood alcohol content of .13, according to authorities.

Mizutani faces a maximum sentence of seven years and eight months in state prison. His arraignment is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. at the West Justice Center in Westminster. He is currently free on $100,000 bail, according to the district attorney’s office.

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Kelly Morehouse, 25, died June 1 after the motorcycle her boyfriend, Taylor Rolfson, 24, was driving collided with Mizutani’s sedan on Goldenwest Street near Rio Vista Drive in Huntington Beach.

Rolfson and Morehouse were traveling south on Goldenwest while Mizutani was driving north.

According to the district attorney’s office, Mizutani is accused of failing to yield at the intersection while trying to make a left turn onto Rio Vista. He reportedly cut off Rolfson and Morehouse as they were crossing the intersection.

Rolfson tried to avoid the sedan but collided with it, causing Morehouse and him to be thrown off the motorcycle, according to the statement.

Morehouse was taken to UCI Medical Center, where she died. Rolfson was hospitalized with broken legs. Mizutani was not injured.

Morehouse, a server at the Sugar Shack, was well-known in downtown Huntington Beach.

Her parents, Bill and Karen Morehouse, have taught at Huntington Beach High School. Bill retired in 2012 while Karen plans to retire in spring 2014.

They started the Kelly Blue Morehouse Memorial Scholarship to help those looking to pursue a career in teaching.

She was friends with Huntington Beach surf icon Rick “Rockin’ Fig” Fignetti and his daughter, Chanel.

Friends of the Morehouse family hosted a paddle-out in her honor June 6 on the north side of the Huntington Beach pier, where hundreds paid tribute to her.

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