Tour bus driver Steve Oshiro, charged with manslaughter in the June 2006 death of motorist Corey Voss, tried yesterday to back out of a plea deal he reached with prosecutors in January, but the judge in the case delayed ruling on the motion until next month.

After pleading no-contest to manslaughter, Oshiro hired a new lawyer, Michael Green, who filed a motion in June to cancel the plea deal. Green also filed a civil lawsuit against Roberts Hawaii Tours, the owner of the bus that Oshiro was driving when it collided head-on with Voss' passenger vehicle in Kahalu'u June 12, 2006.

The suit claims that Oshiro, 50, was "coerced" into driving the bus that day by company officials even after he complained that he was too sick to drive.

City Prosecutor Peter Carlisle has alleged that Oshiro was under the influence of crystal methamphetamine when the accident occurred.

Circuit Judge Dexter Del Rosario delayed ruling on Oshiro's motion to pull out of the plea deal, scheduling more legal arguments for next month.