A Kona District Court judge Monday maintained bail at $1.455 million for a Kailua-Kona man facing two dozen charges stemming from an alleged armed robbery that was followed by a car crash and the man reportedly shooting at a police officer.
Dyllan Paulo-Leslie, 27, made his initial appearance Monday before Kona District Court Judge Kimberly Taniyama following his arrest Thursday night after allegedly robbing at gun point Rainbow Cafe in the Kaloko Light Industrial Park before being involved in a traffic collision and then shooting at a responding Hawaii Police Department officer.
During the hearing, Taniyama considered a request by Public Defender Rick Macapinlac to release Paulo-Leslie either supervised or on his own recognizance, or to reduce the $1.455 million bail. The state asked that bail be maintained, which the judge ordered.
Paulo-Leslie is charged with first-degree attempted murder, first-degree robbery, second-degree reckless endangering, second-degree theft, first-degree criminal property damage, driving without a license, inattention to driving, second-degree promoting a dangerous drug and three counts first-degree terroristic threatening. In addition he faces a slew of firearms offenses, including four counts ownership or possession of a firearm when prohibited due to previous felony conviction, manufacturing, purchasing, or obtaining firearm parts to assemble a firearm having no serial number, and two counts each use of a firearm in the commission of a separate felony, carrying or possessing a loaded firearm on a public highway, place to keep pistol or revolver and place to keep ammunition.
A preliminary hearing, during which prosecutors will work to show probable cause exists to support the 24 counts, is set for Thursday. According to the criminal complaint filed Monday, prosecutors intend to pursue enhanced sentencing due to previous felony convictions.
The charges against Paulo-Leslie stem from an incident reported shortly after 8 p.m. on Thursday at Rainbow Cafe on Kauhola Street in the Kaloko Light Industrial Park.
Responding officers learned the suspect, described as a man armed with a firearm wearing dark clothing and a face covering, entered the establishment and brandished the firearm. Police say he removed an undisclosed amount of currency from the service counter area as patrons and employees fled the area. Court documents state he also took a minor’s backpack that contained homework, a school-issued laptop and a flute.
The man then fled the scene in a gray lifted pickup truck with a female passenger, later identified as 34-year-old Brittany Johnson of Holualoa. As the vehicle fled the area, police said it was involved in a traffic collision with another vehicle at the intersection of Highway 190 and Hina Lani Street, rendering both vehicles inoperable.
As the first police officer arrived at the scene of the crash, he was shot at while walking toward the vehicles to check on the occupants. The bullet “narrowly missed” the officer and struck the rear driver’s side tire of the patrol vehicle. As the officer called for assistance, Paulo-Leslie and Johnson fled the area on foot.
Responding patrol units located the pair a short time later and Paulo-Leslie and Johnson were taken into custody without further incident.
The driver of the other vehicle, a 51-year-old Kailua-Kona woman, was not injured.
The Hawaii Police Department’s Area II Criminal Investigation Section detectives responded to the scenes and are continuing the investigation. A search warrant was later served on Paulo-Leslie’s vehicle where a firearm, ammunition, drugs, and items removed from the robbery were reportedly recovered.
Johnson was released pending investigation.
Paulo-Leslie was also charged for outstanding offenses, including unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, first-degree theft, and discharge of sureties from unrelated incidents.
Anyone with information on this incident should call the department’s nonemergency number at (808) 935-3311, or contact Detective Sheldon Nakamoto of the Area II Criminal Investigation Section at (808) 326-4646 ext. 228, or via email at Sheldon.nakamoto@hawaiicounty.gov.
Those who prefer to remain anonymous may call the islandwide Crime Stoppers number at (808) 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.
Email Chelsea Jensen at cjensen@westhawaiitoday.com.
