Captain Cook, Hawaiʻi – Hawaiʻi Island police have arrested 28-year-old Weston Duarte of Captain Cook in connection with a domestic violence incident on Thursday, July 10, 2025, that escalated into a police pursuit and ultimately a single-vehicle crash.
The incident began shortly before 4:30 p.m. when Kona patrol officers responded to a residence in the 82-6100 block of Napoʻopoʻo Road in Captain Cook. Central Dispatch had received 911 text messages from a 35-year-old woman reporting she needed help. She identified her boyfriend, Weston Duarte, stating he was under the influence of drugs, refusing to return her vehicle and car keys, threatening to kill her, and also had an outstanding warrant. The woman further reported that Duarte was armed and had physically assaulted her while they were inside her gray Mazda 3 sedan, which was parked in the driveway.
At 5:10 p.m., as officers arrived at the scene, they observed the Mazda sedan speeding down the driveway. The vehicle, registered to the victim, then continued southbound on Napoʻopoʻo Road. Officers noted a male driver matching Duarte’s description and saw the woman crying in the back seat.
Officers initiated a pursuit but temporarily lost sight of the vehicle. A short time later, they observed the same vehicle traveling northbound on Highway 11 in the southbound lane at a high rate of speed. The vehicle swerved back into the northbound lane and continued out of view.
At 6:06 p.m., officers located the Mazda after it had crashed near the 109-mile marker on Highway 11. Duarte was found in the roadway and immediately placed under arrest. Hawaiʻi Fire Department medics responded to the scene. Duarte was transported to Kona Community Hospital and later transferred to Queen’s Medical Center on Oʻahu for further treatment. The woman, found in the back seat of the crashed vehicle, was also transported to Kona Community Hospital, where she remains in stable condition.
Through further investigation, police confirmed Duarte was the driver during the earlier pursuit.
Duarte has been arrested for the following offenses:
- Operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant
- Driving without a valid driver’s license
- Abuse of a family or household member
- Second-degree reckless endangering
- Resisting an order to stop
- Reckless driving
- Second-degree terroristic threatening
- No motor vehicle insurance policy
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact Detective Jeremiah Hull at (808) 430-8634 or via email at jeremiah.hull@hawaiicounty.gov. Citizens may also call the police department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311.
Those who wish to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300. Tipsters may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers does not record calls or subscribe to caller ID.