A 33-year-old Pahoa man who allegedly abducted his children’s mother, shot a man who was with her and then held off police with a rifle for several hours late last year before shooting himself in the face pleaded not guilty Monday to numerous charges stemming from the incident.
Hilo Circuit Judge Henry Nakamoto ordered Jovin Chang to appear for a jury trial at 8:30 a.m. July 2.
Chang appeared Monday via video conference from a Honolulu courtroom. He was arrested with assistance from Honolulu police after being discharged from The Queen’s Medical Center after a lengthy stay for treatment of his injuries.
He is charged with second-degree attempted murder, first-degree attempted murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, kidnapping, possessing a loaded firearm on a highway, illegally carrying ammunition and first-degree criminal property damage.
Chang is accused of a Dec. 19 crime spree that started before dawn, with police responding to a 5:39 a.m. report of a shooting on Nohea Street in Leilani Estates subdivision. Officers found the victim, 25-year-old Ralph Aviles Jr., with multiple gunshot wounds to his body.
Aviles told police he and 30-year-old Sandy Nasario, the mother of Chang’s four daughters, were tailed by a blue SUV driven by Chang. When both vehicles stopped, Chang and Aviles allegedly engaged in a confrontation that ended with Chang shooting Aviles several times.
Aviles is the son of retired professional boxer Ralph Aviles Sr., who was once the world’s third-ranked junior lightweight.
Police say after Chang shot Aviles, he ordered Nasario into Chang’s SUV. Puna Patrol Officer Tristin Allen encountered the SUV turning into the driveway of a Leilani Avenue home, police said.
Gunshots coming from the home during the hourslong standoff caused more than $20,000 in damage to Allen’s Toyota 4Runner, according to the indictment.
Allen wasn’t injured but was forced to leave his vehicle on the road and establish a perimeter with the assistance of other responding officers, police said.
If convicted of the first-degree attempted murder charge for allegedly shooting at Allen while the latter was on duty, Chang faces a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
Chang remains in custody in lieu of $271,000 bail.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.