Man charged in connection with vehicle chase in Kona

KAILUA-KONA — Hawaii Island police have charged the driver of the vehicle involved in an officer-involved shooting incident that occurred Thursday in the areas of Keauhou and Napoopoo Road.

Harvey Damo Jr. was charged at 7:40 p.m. Saturday with two counts first-degree terroristic threatening, second-degree reckless endangering, first-degree resisting an order to stop, unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, fourth-degree theft and fourth-degree criminal property damage. Bail was set at $54,000.

Shevylyn Klaus, who was also within the vehicle at the time of the incident, was released pending further investigation.

The incident began shortly Thursday afternoon when police received reports of a sighting of accused cop killer Justin Waiki in Kailua-Kona. At 4:58 p.m., police responded to Ka Hale Kahaluu on reports of shots fired where two individuals in a truck led police on a chase through South Kona ending at Middle Keei Road where the suspects fled on foot.

After hours of combing the countryside, Damo and Klaus, both 25 and of Hilo, were taken into custody. Damo was treated for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound at Kona Community Hospital.

Police have yet to say definitively if Damo and Klaus were known associates of Waiki and if the fugitive was involved somehow in Thursday’s pursuit. Waiki was killed in a shootout with police Friday in the South Point area following a days-long, islandwide manhunt that began Tuesday night after Waiki allegedly fatally shot Officer Bronson Kaliloa alongside Highway 11 in Mountain View.

Anyone with any information about the incident involving Damo should call the department’s nonemergency line at 935-3311 or contact Detective Pernell Hanoa at 326-4646, ext. 281, or via email at Pernell.Hanoa@hawaiicounty.gov.