July 10, 2006

Hours after a San Mateo County judge raised bail to $3 million for the 18-year-old woman charged in a Highway 101 crash that killed a Tongan royal couple and their driver, members of the Bay Area's tight-knit Pacific Islander community gathered once again to share prayers, tears and hymns.

More than 150 people -- including Tongan leaders from throughout the state -- flooded the East Palo Alto Senior Center on Friday night to remember the royal pair, Prince Tu'ipelehake, and his wife, Princess Kaimana, along with their driver, Vinisia Hefa, all of whom were killed Wednesday night.

At the memorial, which resembled a church service, the prince's older sister spoke lovingly of her late brother and sister-in-law.

``We were very close,'' Princess Mele Siu'ilikutapu Kalaniuvalu Fotofili said from her perch on a stage adorned with ceremonial mats and the Tongan flag. Moments before, she had held her hands up in song while weeping. ``I had the honor of being their spiritual mentor. He was a great friend of mine. We would share our sorrows.''

Earlier Friday, in another somber setting, Edith Delgado, 18, of Redwood City, appeared briefly in a San Mateo County courtroom that was packed with her friends and relatives, as well as with a few relatives and supporters of Hefa and the royals.

Delgado's lawyer pleaded not guilty on her behalf to involuntary manslaughter. Her family left the courtroom in tears and would not speak to reporters after San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Thomas McGinn Smith raised her bail from $300,000 to $3 million. He scheduled a bail hearing for Thursday and a preliminary hearing for July 20.

Outside the courtroom, San Jose attorney Randy Moore, hired by Delgado's family, said he would fight the bail amount. He described Delgado as a model teenager caught up in a tragic accident that has left her frightened, tearful and sorry for those who died.

``She is so terribly sorry about what has happened to those people,'' Moore said. ``All I can tell you is that she's a lovely young girl. You wouldn't mind having her as your own daughter. I don't want two tragedies to occur here.''

But Deputy District Attorney Karen Guidotti said although ``this kind of collision is extremely tragic,'' her office would oppose lowering bail on grounds that Delgado is reckless.

``There are clearly issues of safety,'' Guidotti said.

Authorities said Hefa, 36, was driving the 55-year-old prince and the 45-year-old princess north on Highway 101 just before 9 p.m. Wednesday when Delgado sped past in her white 1998 Ford Mustang. While changing lanes north of Willow Road, Delgado allegedly clipped the driver side of the royals' red 1998 Ford Explorer.

The collision caused the Explorer to swerve out of control, roll several times and land on its roof in the right shoulder of the highway, killing everyone inside.

The Menlo Park Fire Department said all three were wearing seat belts but appeared to have suffered massive head injuries. The San Mateo County Coroner's Office has not yet determined the official cause of their deaths.

Delgado stopped at the scene and was arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and illegal speed contest. The California Highway Patrol said Delgado was driving as fast as 100 mph and may have been racing a black Cadillac Escalade with ``spinner-type rims'' that exited at Marsh Road.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said prosecutors declined to file racing charges against Delgado, although his office is still investigating. The charges of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence were based on evidence of Delgado's speed and driving behavior, Wagstaffe said.

Moore, her lawyer, brought copies of honor roll certificates from Redwood High School to the courthouse to show that Delgado was not a troublemaker. Redwood High, a ``continuation school'' in the Sequoia Union High School District, serves students who are behind on their credits by offering more flexibility and attention than regular high schools provide.

Moore said he wasn't sure whether Delgado had just graduated but said she had been working as a bank teller.

Alejandra Arce, 25, of East Palo Alto, a friend of the family's who came to the courthouse to show support, said she could not believe accusations that Delgado was racing.

``We know she's not like that,'' Arce said.

Prince Tu'ipelehake, a nephew of 88-year-old Tongan King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, was a leading advocate for democratic reforms in the tiny island-chain nation and was said to be popular both at home and with Tongan expatriates abroad.

About 8,200 Tongans call the Bay Area home, according to the 2000 Census. A large number live in East Palo Alto, as well as in San Bruno, Redwood City, San Mateo and Oakland. The Tongan government keeps a 6,000-square-foot mansion in Hillsborough.

Well-wishers on Friday erected a makeshift memorial near the crash site, laying quilts and flowers among debris from the wreckage. On one quilt they wrote, ``Ofa atu,'' which Nanaimo Loughery said means ``We Love You.''

``He's the people's prince,'' said Loughery, 41, of Redwood City, as she wiped away tears after laying a bouquet of white roses. ``I wanted to show respect. It's so sad.''

Loughery said she also was sad for Delgado and her family.

``My heart goes out to her,'' Loughery said. ``I don't think she meant it.''

Topui Fifita of San Mateo, attending Friday night's memorial service, said, ``It's a big loss to the island. We were expecting to have some democratic reform. This is probably going to delay it for a period of time.''