A 39-year-old Keaau woman who was shot at by her ex-boyfriend late Friday afternoon while driving Hilo-bound on Highway 11 in Puna told police the suspect had been stalking her for almost a month.
The gunshot — fired from what police say was a stolen Toyota Tacoma pickup truck in an adjoining lane — narrowly missed its intended victim and shattered the back passenger-side window of the woman’s car before becoming lodged just behind driver’s seat.
The suspect, 45-year-old Jarret K. Kaneshiro, is charged with attempted second-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a separate felony, carrying a loaded firearm on a public highway, being a felon in possession of a handgun, illegally carrying a handgun and first-degree criminal trespassing.
Police say the incident took place shortly after 5:30 p.m. Friday just north of the Highway 130 intersection. Kaneshiro reportedly fled toward Hilo, and was arrested Saturday at a home on Alii Kane Street in Volcano.
The woman said Kaneshiro had sent her numerous text messages, including one that said, “I going kill you now,” according to court documents filed by police. The victim also told police he had been parking in front of her house almost daily and that she arrived home Friday afternoon to find Kaneshiro in her house, sitting on her bed.
The shooting incident occurred after Kaneshiro left following a verbal altercation, according to documents. Documents state the woman took a picture on her cellphone depicting Kaneshiro pointing a black handgun in her direction.
Police executed a search warrant on the Volcano home and seized a black 9mm handgun and a magazine with ammunition.
A check by authorities turned up two felony convictions for Kaneshiro, documents state, including a federal firearms-related conviction.
At Kaneshiro’s initial court appearance on Monday, Hilo Circuit Judge Jeffrey Hawk maintained Kaneshiro’s bail at $1.111 million and ordered him to return Wednesday for a preliminary hearing.
Kaneshiro remains in custody at Hawaii Community Correctional Center.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
