A Hawaii Community Correctional Center inmate allegedly pulled a semi-automatic handgun on police officers attempting to arrest him early Saturday morning on a furlough violation.
A Hawaii Community Correctional Center inmate allegedly pulled a semi-automatic handgun on police officers attempting to arrest him early Saturday morning on a furlough violation.
Police say officers encountered 26-year-old Joshua K. Lopes-Keli at about 1:06 a.m. Saturday in a parking lot on Rainbow Drive in Hilo, sitting in the passenger seat of a car driven by 23-year-old Michaela Pacyao of Waikoloa.
According to court documents, Officer Christopher Jelsma informed Lopes-Keli he was under arrest, but Lopes-Keli reached under the passenger seat while telling officers to shoot him, then produced a Glock .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol.
Jelsma then struggled with Lopes-Keli for control of the handgun, documents state, while Lopes-Keli allegedly pointed the pistol in the direction of Officer Gibson Kahele, who was standing on the passenger side of the car.
Officer Thomas Chun-Ming used his Taser on Lopes-Keli while the latter struggled with Jelsma for control of the firearm, according to documents.
Officers managed to wrest the firearm, which was loaded, from Lopes-Keli, then apprehended him after a brief chase, according to a police statement.
Police later found 2.9 grams of methamphetamine and 0.9 grams of marijuana after a search of Lopes-Keli’s belongings, according to documents.
Lopes-Keli, who was serving time for second-degree robbery, was charged with escape, violating terms of furlough, terroristic threatening, resisting arrest, promoting a dangerous drug, marijuana possession, drug paraphernalia and five firearms offenses. He was returned to HCCC without bail on the furlough violation.
Police also arrested Lopes-Keli on suspicion of three counts of attempted first-degree murder with the three officers as victims. According to documents, Hilo District Judge Harry Freitas didn’t find probable cause to support those charges, although his denial without prejudice allows police and prosecutors to attempt re-filing in the future.
Bail for the remaining charges was set at $104,000.
Lopes-Keli pleaded not guilty during his initial court appearance Monday, and Freitas ordered him to appear at 2 p.m. today for a preliminary hearing.
Pacyao was arrested on an unrelated warrant for failure to appear. Her bail was set at $150.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.