The Kona Crime Prevention Committee recognized Officer Brant Powers as “Officer of the Month” for March in a luncheon ceremony March 6 at Huggo’s restaurant in Kailua-Kona.
The Kona Crime Prevention Committee recognized Officer Brant Powers as “Officer of the Month” for March in a luncheon ceremony March 6 at Huggo’s restaurant in Kailua-Kona.
Powers was honored for his arrest of a burglary suspect who fled in a stolen car.
On Jan. 19, Powers was assigned to a report of a burglary and auto theft in Kona. While responding, he saw the stolen car driving away from the victim’s house. When he attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver made an erratic attempt to flee, police said. Due to safety concerns for the public, attempts to stop the vehicle were terminated and Officer Powers eventually lost sight of it.
He continued searching for the vehicle and found it on a narrow road speeding toward him. When Powers activated his blue lights and siren, the vehicle continued to accelerate and struck the subsidized police vehicle Powers was driving. The suspect vehicle than drove past the officer, lost control, ran off the road and came to a stop in the bushes.
The driver fled on foot but a juvenile male passenger was detained at the scene and stolen items from the victim’s house were located in his possession. Further investigation led to the identity of the driver. Both were arrested and charged with burglary, auto theft, theft and two counts of property damage.
In addition to this incident, Powers investigated 93 incidents in the past year, 24 traffic accidents and 197 miscellaneous public complaints. He made 26 arrests and issued 183 traffic citations.
As “Officer of the Month,” Powers is eligible to become “Officer of the Year.”