A Hilo grand jury on Feb. 24 indicted a 36-year-old Portland, Ore., man for a wild carjacking rampage in Kalapana on Valentine’s Day that critically injured a woman and caused a would-be good Samaritan to suffer a broken hip.
The 12-count indictment charges Thomas Ryan Kilborn with attempted second-degree murder, two counts each of first-degree robbery, first-degree theft, unauthorized control of a stolen vehicle and property damage.
He also was charged with leaving the scene of an accident involving serious injury, failure to give information or render aid, and driving without a license.
According to court documents filed by police, Trevor Naki was visiting his grandfather near Kehena Beach when his wife, Maile “Lei” Kalanui, screamed for help. She reportedly told Naki a man had thrown her out of their car and took off in it.
The suspect, whom police identify as Kilborn, returned to the scene and, according to Naki, hit the 28-year-0ld Kalanui twice with the car, documents state.
Kilborn allegedly then crashed the stolen car into a coconut tree.
An emergency room doctor at Hilo Medical Center told police Kalanui suffered significant brain hemorrhaging, bleeding in the chest cavity, spinal fractures and paralysis of her lower extremities. Kalanui was later flown to The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu for further treatment.
A witness driving a Nissan Titan pickup truck also told police he saw the stolen vehicle hit the woman, according to documents.
The man, identified in court documents as Tyler Hamm, stopped to help Kalanui, and Kilborn allegedly got into the Nissan’s driver’s seat and took off — causing Hamm to jump in the truck bed. Kilborn then drove miles at a high rate of speed, with Hamm screaming for him to stop, according to documents.
Hamm jumped out of the truck after Kilborn slowed down, suffering a broken hip, documents state.
Kilborn allegedly hit another car from behind, causing minor injuries to the driver, before driving the pickup into a lava field, disabling it, according to documents.
Police who had been called to the scene arrested Kilborn after a short foot pursuit.
Hilo District Judge Kanani Laubach on Feb.19 ordered a mental examination of Kilborn by three doctors. He has a date in district court on March 23, but that is rendered moot by the indictment, which will move Kilborn’s case to Hilo Circuit Court after he is served with a bench warrant and re-arrested.
Kilborn remains in custody at Hawaii Community Correctional Center in lieu of $704,010 bail.
A GoFundMe account has been set up under the title “Help Lei Kalanui recover” to pay for Kalanui’s medical expenses. As of midday Tuesday, $14,770 of a $50,000 goal had been raised.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
