Fung Won't Unseal Records In '89 Crash That Killed A Man

CRANSTON, RI — Cranston Mayor and Republican candidate for governor Allan Fung said he doesn’t have records of 1989 car crash he was in that killed a man. He said Thursday he won’t ask the court to unseal them because he doesn't want to relive the most painful experience of his life.

The Associate Press reported that the crash was brought up by Joe Trillo, a former Republican state representative who is running for governor as an independent. Trillo brought up the crash following a report surfacing Wednesday about a 1970s assault charge against against him.

“Let's let the facts come out. Open the file," Trillo told the WPRO-AM. "Let’s find out, were you drug-tested? Were you under the influence of alcohol? You knocked a body 96 feet in the air. That’s not easy to do.”

Fung denied alcohol or drugs were involved in the crash during his interview Wednesday with The Associated Press. He said, questions were “put to rest by a grand jury” that declined to indict him. "There was no drugs. There was no alcohol."

District court records for the case were sealed in 1994, the Associated Press reported following an approved motion to expunge.

Fung was an 18-year-old college student when he was driving on I-95 in Cranston a little before 9 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 17, 1989. He told the Associated Press he lost consciousness and hit James Skipper Jr., 41, of Pawtucket, who was changing a tire in the breakdown lane. Fung said he never blacked out like that before or since. he said a doctor told him the incident could have been related to a thyroid condition.

State Police initially charged Fung with driving to endanger resulting in death. Fung never went to court because the grand jury declined to indict him, he said. Fung said he was never tested for drugs or alcohol after the crash. When the Associated Press asked why, he said it was because he wasn't under the influence and the crash happened in the morning.

Fung said he doesn't have records of the crash, doesn't know if he could get them, and wouldn't unseal them even if it were possible.

“No, I don’t want to relive this. It’s tough enough talking about it, Fung told the Associated Press. It was tough enough talking about it four years ago, and I don’t want to dredge this up for the family, for myself and everyone again. It’s not right. It’s disgusting that this is coming up and Joe’s trying to make it an issue.”

Photo credit: AP Photo/Steven Senne