KAILUA-KONA — A Hilo man accused of leading police on a vehicle pursuit last month pleaded not guilty in 3rd Circuit Court Thursday morning.
Harvey Damo Jr., 25, is accused of fleeing police in a truck from a housing complex on July 19 in the Kahaluu area and eluding capture for hours. He was found about 11 p.m. that night in South Kona on foot with two gunshot wounds to the arm.
Damo has been charged with two counts of first-degree terroristic threatening and second-degree reckless endangering and one count each of first-degree resisting an order to stop, unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, fourth-degree theft and fourth-degree criminal property damage.
Despite defense counsel’s request to reduce bail to $5,000 on Thursday, Circuit Court Judge Robert D.S. Kim maintained bail at $54,000.
Hawaii Police initially began investigating Damo after hearing reports that Justin Waiki, a suspected cop killer, was seen in his truck earlier in the day on July 19.
An islandwide manhunt had been underway since July 17 after Waiki allegedly shot and killed Officer Bronson Kaliloa in Mountain View along Highway 11. Hawaii Police reached out to the public asking for tips in hopes of apprehending the 33-year-old.
According to authorities, they received information that Waiki was seen inside Damo’s truck in the Walmart parking lot earlier in the day on July 19. It was later learned that the truck the 25-year-old was occupying had been stolen from the cable company Spectrum’s baseyard.
Officers eventually tracked Damo to Ka Hale Kahaluu housing off of Makolea Street near Keauhou. According to testimony during a preliminary hearing on July 24 in District Court, an officer shot at Damo as he drove out of the housing complex around 5 p.m. to escape arrest.
A vehicle pursuit ensued, which led police vehicles to Napoopoo and Painted Church Road areas. According to testimony, an officer shot at the truck Damo was driving at least 10 times while on Napoopoo Road when the Hilo man refused to stop at a police roadblock.
Shevylyn Klaus, 25, also of Hilo, who was also within the vehicle at the time of the incident, was released pending further investigation. It’s never been confirmed that this incident was connected to Waiki, who died in a shootout with police on July 20 on South Point Road.
