Gunfire in Kona leads to attempted murder charge

UNEA
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A 40-year-old Waimea man suspected of shooting from a car at a pair of men in a pickup truck Monday in Kailua-Kona was taken into custody after a high-speed pursuit bogged down in traffic, according to court documents filed by police.

At about 11:30 a.m. Monday, two Waimea men, ages 35 and 33, flagged down an officer on Kaiminani Drive to report they had been shot at while seated in a parked, black 2015 Ford F-150 pickup truck in the 73-4300 block of Lau‘i Street.

Neither man was hit by gunfire, but both were frantic, and the truck had bullet holes in both the front and rear driver-side doors, the documents state.

While an officer interviewed the victims, a black Honda Accord approached, and the 35-year-old man identified it as the assailant’s car.

The Honda then allegedly pulled a U-turn on Kaiminani Drive — crossing double-yellow center lines — and sped away, with at least one officer in pursuit.

The officer reported that he was pursuing at 85 mph, and the Honda continued to widen its lead until traffic forced the driver of the Honda to pull over, according to the documents. Police say they ordered the driver, whom they identified as Shayne Kamuela Unea, to exit the car and to show his hands.

The Honda driver allegedly “re-entered traffic and almost collided” with a eastbound sport-utility vehicle.

Police say they arrested Unea at about 11:45 a.m. Monday on Ane Keohokalole Highway.

According to the documents, there was a 1-year-old boy in the rear passenger-side seat of the Honda. Police also reportedly recovered 39 rounds of ammunition from the sedan.

Unea was subsequently charged with attempted second-degree murder, two counts first-degree terroristic threatening, prohibited possession of ammunition, first- and second-degree reckless endangering, first-degree property damage, driving without a license, and resisting an order to stop.

According to court documents, Unea is not a convicted felon.

During Unea’s initial court appearance Wednesday, Kona District Judge Kimberly Taniyama reduced his bail from $334,250 to $200,000 over the objection of prosecutors. She also ordered Unea to return for a preliminary hearing at 10 a.m. Friday.

Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com