A special-duty police officer directing traffic at a road construction site in upper Puna fired three shots at what was called “a suspicious car” early Friday afternoon, police said.
According to Assistant Police Chief Henry Tavares, police “don’t know” if anyone was hit by the shots fired at a fleeing older-model blue or teal Honda four-door sedan with black or gray side panels.
According to a statement, a Puna patrol officer came upon the car at the end of Mokuna Street in the Royal Hawaiian Estates subdivision shortly before 1 p.m. The car then drove directly toward the officer’s vehicle, swerving at the last moment, and continued to flee.
Tavares said the Honda turned right onto Volcano Highway (Highway 11) and was seen traveling north toward Hilo against oncoming traffic in the southbound lane of the highway.
“It comes upon this construction site at Oshiro Road,” said Tavares, who added the car drove directly toward the special-duty officer. The officer, in response, fired three shots toward the driver, striking the Honda, which continued to travel toward Hilo.
Tavares said the shots were fired “toward the front” of the Honda.
Asked how many people were seen in the car and if the driver was male or female, Tavares replied, “We’re still working on that.”
Police are conducting “an extensive search” for the Honda, according to the statement.
As is standard practice in a police-involved shooting, the Hilo Criminal Investigations Section will conduct a criminal investigation into the shooting and the Office of Professional Standards, the department’s internal affairs unit, will conduct an administrative investigation.
Tavares said the officer, who has been employed by the department for 19 years, and will be placed on paid administrative leave while the investigations are conducted.
Anyone with information about the location of the Honda or the identity of the driver is asked to call the police non-emergency line at 935-3311. Those who prefer anonymity may call Crime Stoppers number at 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.
The incident is the second police-involved shooting on Hawaii Island in 2015 and the fourth since July 2014.
A 31-year-old Hilo man, James Salai, was shot and critically wounded just before midnight on Feb. 28 in downtown Hilo after he allegedly took off during a traffic stop, damaged a police vehicle and another car at the corner of Mamo Street and the Kilauea Avenue extension.
Salai allegedly reversed toward two officers while trying to get away. Both officers discharged their weapons. One witness said there was 16 shots.
Salai was arrested on suspicion of terroristic threatening and flown to The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu for treatment of gunshot wounds.
He has since been released from the hospital, Tavares said. The shooting remains under investigation.
On Dec. 16, two officers shot at a 1989 Nissan pickup truck they said had tried to run them down on Highway 11 near the intersection of Kulani Road. Police later arrested 33-year-old Ashley DeMorales of Mountain View on suspicion of attempted murder and auto theft. She was released from custody pending further investigation. Although the truck, which police say was stolen, sustained bullet damage, DeMorales and the officers were uninjured.
And on July 21, police arrested 38-year-old Riley Jason Asuncion of Pahoa after he allegedly kidnapped a woman in Hilo, hijacked her sport-utility vehicle, led police on a chase up Stainback Highway, and was shot while attempting to run over two officers.
The woman, who managed to escape from the SUV, and Asuncion sustained minor injuries. The officers weren’t physically injured.
Asuncion was later indicted on three counts of attempted first-degree murder and numerous other charges. His trial is scheduled to start Monday in Hilo Circuit Court but his court-appointed attorney, Kanani Laubach, has filed a motion requesting a postponement.
Asuncion remains in custody at Hawaii Community Correctional Facility in lieu of $1,583,350 bail.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
