Shortly before 8 a.m. on Friday, December 11, 2020, officers from Area II Kona Patrol  responded to a call of a reckless driver heading southbound towards Kona on Queen Ka‘ahumanu Highway. It was reported that the car was travelling at a high rate of speed and then “brake checking” other drivers, and at one point had driven off the highway in the Waikoloa area.

It was later determined that the vehicle had been stolen in Hilo on Wednesday, December 9, 2020, (Report No. 20-094074). Officers attempted to locate the vehicle, which was first spotted near the Keāhole airport heading towards Kailua town.

Upon attempting to stop the vehicle at Kaiminani Drive, the vehicle fled south on Queen Ka‘ahumanu Highway. The vehicle crossed the median at Hulikoa Drive and began traveling against the flow of traffic on the shoulder. The vehicle nearly struck an on duty officer traveling north on Queen Ka‘ahumanu Highway near the Hina Lani Street.

The vehicle continued to travel against the flow of traffic on Queen Ka‘ahumanu Highway until Kaloko Honokōhau National Historical Park. It then detoured through the Kona Light Industrial area before continuing southbound on Queen Ka‘ahumanu Highway where it was subsequently located having crashed near the Palani Road / Queen Ka‘ahumanu intersection. Two men, the driver and a front seat passenger, fled the vehicle while a woman in the back seat remained in the vehicle.

The front seat passenger, later identified as 35-year-old Nicolas Kahele of Hilo, and the female passenger, later identified as 28-year old Akaysha Tripp-Carvalho of Waimea, were arrested for unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle (Report No. 20-094074.)

The investigation remains ongoing at this time

Report No.: 20-094392