WAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) — A murder trial began Monday for a woman accused of deliberately driving off a cliff in Hawaii and killing her identical twin sister.
WATCH THE LIVE STREAM HERE
FILE – In this Nov. 18, 2016 file photo, Alexandria Duval walks into Albany County Court in Albany, N.Y. A murder trial is underway for Duval, accused of deliberately driving off a cliff in Hawaii and killing her identical twin sister. Duval’s defense attorney Birney Bervar says in his opening statement Monday, Jan. 29, 2018 in Wailuku, Hawaii, the crash was a tragic accident. Bervar says there’s reasonable doubt of any criminal behavior. A judge instead of a jury is hearing testimony and is expected to reach a verdict this week. Authorities described the 2016 crash as a hair-pulling fight over the steering wheel. Anastasia Duval died, and her sister was arrested. (AP Photo/Mike Groll, File)
The 2016 crash was a tragic accident, Alexandria Duval’s defense attorney, Birney Bervar said in his opening statement. There’s reasonable doubt of any criminal behavior, he said.
Authorities described the 2016 crash as a hair-pulling fight over the steering wheel. The sisters, who were 38 at the time, were seen arguing on the narrow, winding Hana Highway on the island of Maui before their SUV plunged 200 feet over a cliff.
Anastasia Duval was in the passenger seat and was killed, and her sister Alexandria Duval was arrested. A judge later ordered Alexandria Duval released after finding no probable cause for a murder charge. She traveled to upstate New York and was arrested again months later in Albany after a grand jury indicted her.
Duval opted to have a judge instead of a jury decide the case. The judge is expected to reach a verdict this week.
Maui resident Chad Smith testified that while the women were passing him on the highway he could see them arguing. Smith, who was headed to a church, said he couldn’t hear anything but the women looked angry. He had to swerve out of their way, he said.
The sisters, born Alison and Ann Dadow in the Utica, New York, area, operated popular yoga studios in Florida before they changed their names. They moved to Hawaii in 2015 from Utah.
Duval isn’t expected to testify, Bervar said.
© Copyright 2018 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
