A 34-year-old Puna man has been arrested after he was found passed out in a stolen vehicle Thursday morning.
The suspect is identified as 34-year old Brooklin Mahuka of a Pahoa address.
At 5:15 a.m. Thursday, a concerned citizen flagged down an officer on patrol in Nanawale to report observing a suspicious white vehicle parked with a male asleep in the driver’s seat on Lehua road. Officers came upon the Mazda Protégé and ran a check on the license plate discovering that the vehicle had been reported stolen on June 22 from the parking lot of a Hilo business establishment. South Hilo patrol officers had previously observed the stolen vehicle in Keaukaha however it had successfully evaded them at the time.
The suspect was arrested for an outstanding $1,000 warrant, and for suspicion of unauthorized control of a propelled motor vehicle. He had also been sought on an abuse of a family or household member case that had occurred the day prior, Wednesday. Mahuka remains in police custody at the East Hawaii Detention Facility while detectives from the Area I Criminal Investigation Section continue the investigation.
The Hawaii Police Department encourages the pubic to immediately report unusual and suspicious activities. Anyone who may have any information regarding this case or others involving this suspect are asked to call Detective Grant Todd of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at (808) 961-2381 or via email at Grant.Todd@hawaiicounty.gov.
Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the island-wide Crime Stoppers number at 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.