A 36-year-old Pahoa man is facing attempted murder and other charges following a Valentine’s Day incident that critically injured a 28-year-old woman.
Thomas Ryan Kilborn was charged Tuesday afternoon with second-degree attempted murder, two counts each first-degree robbery, first-degree theft, first-degree criminal property damage, unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, and single counts of accident involving death or serious bodily injury, accident involving damage to vehicle or property, and driving without a driver license.
He is being held in lieu of $704,000 bail pending his initial court appearance scheduled for Wednesday afternoon in Hilo District Court.
The charges stem from an incident that occurred Sunday afternoon in the Kalapana area. At approximately 4:30 p.m., Puna patrol officers responded to the intersection area of Kalapana-Kapoho Beach Road and Ole Ole Street for a report of an unknown type disturbance. Upon arrival, officers learned that a man had stolen a vehicle from a driveway and several minutes later returned to the area and struck a 28-year-old woman with the stolen vehicle. After striking the victim, Kilborn crashed the vehicle into a coconut tree.
Kilborn then reportedly stole a pick-up truck from a passerby who stopped to render aid to the injured woman as she lay on the roadway. The owner of the pick-up truck then got into the bed of the truck and remained there as Kilborn sped off at a high rate of speed. The truck owner remained in the bed of the truck for several miles, screaming for help, as Kilborn sped through the neighborhood and along Kalapana-Kapoho Beach Road, until the owner was able to jump out near the Kalapana Transfer Station, police said.
A short time later, Kilborn reportedly intentionally struck another moving vehicle from behind, forcing the vehicle off the roadway. The female operator of the vehicle suffered minor injuries.
Kilborn then drove the stolen truck off the roadway, approximately 30 yards to 40 yards into a lava field, where the vehicle became disabled. Kilborn was then arrested after a short foot pursuit with officers.
The 28-year-old woman that was struck by the vehicle was transported by ambulance to the Hilo Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. She was later flown to The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu, where she remains in critical condition.
Anyone with information on this incident or who may have been in the area of Kalapana-Kapoho Beach Road between Ole Ole Street and the Kalapana Transfer Station on Sunday afternoon should contact the department’s nonemergency line at (808) 935-3311, or Detective Scotty Aloy at (808) 961-2375 or via email to Scotty.Aloy@hawaiicounty.gov.