Two men have been arrested after three people were injured during a home invasion Sunday in South Kona.
Just before 1 p.m. on Sunday, officers from Area II Kona Patrol responded to a call of a possible burglary in Captain Cook. It was reported that two men fled the scene in a gray-colored Honda sedan, according to the Hawaii Police Department.
In the course of the investigation, officers determined that two masked gunmen, later identified as 23-year-old Jerome Kahoalii-Heath and 27-year-old Ioane Asagra, had reportedly entered the home, demanding drugs and money, as well as striking three witnesses in the head with a weapon, according to police. While at the scene, officers discovered .40 caliber casings.
The victims were treated on site for their injuries. Kona patrol officers, teamed up with members of the Special Enforcement Unit and Criminal Investigation Section to apprehend the suspects, who were considered armed and dangerous.
CIS personnel sought and received a warrant to search two vehicles known to be used by the suspects and found ammunition matching that found at the scene of the burglary. Meanwhile, Kona patrol officers, working on tips from the public, learned that the suspects might be in the Kona Palisades area.
As officers were checking the area, they received a report that the two suspects had stolen a red Jeep Cherokee. While responding to the stolen Jeep, officers discovered the suspects left a silver-colored Honda Civic at the scene with an AR-15 rifle lying on the front passenger seat, police said.
Additional officers spotted the stolen red Jeep traveling south on Highway 190. Because the Jeep’s operator was driving recklessly, officers did not engage in a pursuit. The vehicle continued south on Highway 180 before making its way toward the intersection of Highway 19 and Kamehameha III Road, where officers again tried to stop the vehicle, police said.
The motor vehicle continued onward toward on Lako Street, where it made an illegal U-turn, hit the curb, and came to a stop. Kahoalii-Heath, the driver of the stolen Jeep, and his passenger, 20-year-old Valerie Mills-Lorenzo, were arrested at the scene and taken to Kona Community Hospital to rule out injuries from the single-vehicle accident, police said.
A semi-automatic pistol was recovered from the Jeep Cherokee, according to police. Shortly thereafter, Asagra turned himself in to police and was arrested.
Police are continuing their investigation of these incidents. Charges have yet to be filed.
