Puna man arrested for nearly striking cop with car

A 39-year-old Puna man was charged for a traffic incident last week wherein a vehicle reportedly nearly struck a police officer.

On Aug. 25, shortly after midnight, officers attempted to stop a sedan for traffic violations near Chong Street in Hilo, but the vehicle nearly struck an officer who was on foot. Officers at the scene identified the driver as Kumalani Ryan Kekipi, who was later located and arrested in Puna.

Kekipi is charged with resisting an order to stop, first-degree terroristic threatening and three counts of violating a restraining order. His bail was set at $7,000.