A man who is suing the county and police is himself wanted by police in a robbery investigation.
Police say a 47-year-old Hilo man reported that 38-year-old Clarence Hatori of Pahoa robbed him of a large sum of cash Friday afternoon during a meeting on the 400 block of Wainaku Street.
Hatori is the brother of Randall Hatori, who died in police custody during a 2014 arrest in Kona, according to multiple sources who declined to be identified. Clarence Hatori filed a wrongful death federal lawsuit against the county and police in February.
Lt. Greg Esteban of the Hilo Criminal Investigations Section said the meeting between Clarence Hatori and the alleged victim was prearranged but declined to elaborate.
“It wasn’t a random incident,” Esteban said. “During the time of the meeting, the two individuals knew each other.” Esteban said the two men hadn’t known each other long.
The alleged victim reportedly had a large amount of cash in his car and told police Hatori took it without permission. The man then allegedly got out of his car and a struggle ensued over possession of the money. The man told police he was dragged by Hatori’s car as the latter drove away.
The alleged victim was treated at the scene for minor injuries to his legs.
Police say Clarence Hatori, a landscaper who has prior convictions for robbery, theft and assault, is also wanted on a bench warrant for contempt of court. He’s described as 6 feet tall, 240 pounds, with short black hair and might have a mustache and goatee.
Hatori’s brother, Randall Hatori, died Feb. 4, 2014, during a struggle with police, who were trying to apprehend him.
Police said the 39-year-old was the passenger in a car stopped by officers near the Tesoro gas station at the entrance of Kona Coast Shopping Center on Palani Road in Kailua-Kona. The driver, Ernest Ricky Alvarez, was arrested on a $10,000 bench warrant for contempt of court.
Police say Randall Hatori ran, and an officer deployed a Taser in an attempt to restrain him, but Hatori continued to resist. According to police, additional officers assisted in subduing him, but he became unresponsive after being handcuffed and later died.
Police say detectives found almost a quarter-ounce of methamphetamine at the scene of the struggle.
The allegations in Clarence Hatori’s civil suit include that officers beat and kicked his brother while he lay, facedown, handcuffed and unresponsive in the asphalt parking lot, and that police delayed seeking medical attention for Randall Hatori for almost an hour.
Laureen Martin, the county Corporation Counsel’s litigation chief, told West Hawaii Today in February that Randall Hatori’s death was “the result of his own actions,” and he “died from a heart attack caused by the use of methamphetamines and an enlarged heart.” Martin said Hatori fled because “he knew there was a warrant for his arrest” and he attacked an officer
Clarence Hatori’s suit claims there was no arrest warrant and police falsely imprisoned his brother.
Anyone who knows Clarence Hatori’s whereabouts is asked to call the police nonemergency line at 935-3311, Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 or contact Detective Todd Pataray at 961-2382 or todd.pataray@co.hawaii.hi.us.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
