Two of the three people allegedly in a car reported stolen near Hilo had their preliminary hearings in Kona District Court Friday. They will enter pleas Thursday in Circuit Court. ADVERTISING Two of the three people allegedly in a car
Two of the three people allegedly in a car reported stolen near Hilo had their preliminary hearings in Kona District Court Friday. They will enter pleas Thursday in Circuit Court.
Cherise King, 35, of Hilo, was driving a 2014 black Nissan Versa with Jeffrey Paul DeCastro Jr., 30, of Hilo, in the front passenger seat and a third suspect in the back on July 14, Hawaii Police Department Officer Chandler Nancino said during the preliminary hearing.
The incident began when the officer went to pass the hatchback, which he said was going slightly under the speed limit. As he passed, King “cocked her head away from me,” toward the passenger seat. This led the officer to compare the license plate to police systems, which told him it was reported stolen, Nancino said.
He then intercepted the vehicle and ordered it to stop.
The driver pulled over on Henry Street and the officer approached, ordering the occupants to put their hands on the roof. They complied and he identified King, having her step out of the vehicle. She told him she had no identification.
While Nancino was preparing to handcuff King, a door opened on the vehicle.
“He got out of the vehicle, looked at me and fled,” Nancino said.
Shortly thereafter, the other passenger fled.
Nacino said he then handcuffed King and awaited another officer to arrive for transport to the police cellblock. He also alerted officers to the two other people who fled, he said.
DeCastro, one of those who fled, was later identified and arrested at 1:30 p.m. July 15 on Alii Drive.
The third person was interviewed by officers, but he was not wanted at the time. Officers are now looking for him, Nacino said.
At the cellblock, King told police she was in the Home Depot parking lot and DeCastro came to pick her up. Her testimony to police said DeCastro said he was tired and asked her to drive. She did, the other man moved to the back seat and DeCastro took the passenger seat. They then set off and were stopped shortly thereafter by the officer.
During the preliminary hearing King was quiet, although she appeared to confer with her attorney to ask about the status of a cellphone apparently left in the back seat of the vehicle.
DeCastro’s statement to police was longer. He told them he had arranged to rent the car for a day, in exchange for paying off a lien on a man’s cellphone.
He tried to the return the car that afternoon, he said he told police, but could not locate the man he rented it from.
He then drove the car out of Hilo and kept it until the arrest in Kona, according to the statement.
The detective also testified that a bag found on the seat included women’s makeup, tools for ingesting meth, baggies and meth. Since King was in the driver’s seat with easy access to the console, and was the only woman in the car, the detective told the attorney it was reasonable to charge her.
She was also charged with unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, driving without a license, two counts third-degree promoting a dangerous drug and possessing drug paraphernalia. She remains in custody in lieu of a $12,500 cash bond, which was increased from $10,500 initial bond during a court hearing held July 16.
DeCastro was charged with unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle in connection with the stolen vehicle; his bail was set at $2,000. He was also charged with contempt of court and four counts of discharge of sureties, also known as bail jumping, stemming from another case.
Both are due in Circuit Court where they will enter pleas to the charges on Thursday.
