Man pleads not guilty in death of motorcycle passenger

A Huntington Beach man pleaded not guilty Monday to vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and two other charges in the death of a woman who was riding on the back of her boyfriend’s motorcycle, according to Orange County Superior Court records.

Tadashi Mizutani, 69, is accused of killing Huntington Beach resident Kelly Morehouse, 25, and injuring her boyfriend Taylor Rolfson, 24, on June 1 after their vehicles collided at Goldenwest Street and Rio Vista Drive in Huntington Beach.

During his arraignment at the West Justice Center in Westminster, Mizutani also pleaded not guilty to driving under the influence causing bodily injury and driving with a blood alcohol content of .08% or more causing bodily injury.

The district attorney’s office said authorities believe Mizutani had a blood alcohol content of .13% at the time of the crash.

If found guilty, he could face a maximum sentence of seven years and eight months in state prison, according to the Orange County district attorney’s office.

A pretrial hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Sept. 10 and a preliminary hearing is set for 8:30 a.m. Sept. 25, both at the West Justice Center.

—Anthony Clark Carpio

Twitter: @acocarpio