A prominent candidate for the Republican nomination for governor of Rhode Island said he was responsible for a fatal crash that occurred in 1989, killing a man on the side of the road, the Associated Press reported.
Cranston Mayor Allan Fung told a local newspaper that in 1989, he lost consciousness while driving and hit 41-year-old James Skipper Jr., who had pulled over and was standing on the side of I-95 to change a tire.
The mayor, who was an 18-year-old college freshman at the time of the incident, originally said he had no idea why he blacked out and woke up after the accident.
A grand jury decided not to indict the teen and the accident was cleared from his record. In addition, he paid Skipper's family a settlement of $112,000.
Though the Providence Journal said Fung told him about the truth a few years ago when running for city council, they decided to not report it at the time.
According to the AP, the mayor said he does not enjoy talking about the accident but brought it to light in order to prevent political opponents from surprising him or voters during election season.
"So that's why I am having this conversation, even though it is very difficult," Fung said. "I trust that the voters, not only of Cranston but people of the state of Rhode Island, have that trust in me and can see that it's part of me and this is something that is ... part of the ups and downs of my life that have made me who I am. And I trust that they'll understand, hopefully, understand what happened."
Skipper's sister, Joyce Strange, does not hold harsh feelings towards Fung.
"People should not hold that against him," she said. "He's gone through hell all these years ... He's never going to be able to forget it, I realize, but if there's anything that would help him get on with his life," Strange said.
