Hearing set for Mountain View man who allegedly injured two officers

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Court documents identify two police officers who sustained injuries Tuesday while apprehending a 47-year-old Mountain View man sought on an arrest warrant.

The officers are Detectives Kelly Moniz and Jesse Kerr.

The suspect, Samuel Imaizumi, is charged with first-degree assault, first-degree assault on a law enforcement officer, and resisting arrest.

Officers were attempting to arrest Imaizumi at about 12:4o p.m. Tuesday on Henele Road in Pacific Paradise Gardens subdivision on a warrant issued by the state Department of Public Safety alleging Imaizumi violated a jail work furlough.

During the officers’ attempt to arrest, Imaizumi, he allegedly ran “at full sprint” into Moniz’s right arm and chest area, causing a bicep injury.

Moniz, according to Hilo Medical Center Emergency Room physician Dan Silverman, suffered a ruptured tendon in his right bicep, police documents state. Moniz’s injury was serious “due to protracted loss (or) impairment of function” of the arm.

Kerr suffered a strained groin during the incident, as well, documents state. A charge of second-degree assault against a law enforcement officer was contemplated but not filed.

Imaizumi, who has a felony record dating back to 1996, waived his right to remain silent and admitted to attempting to evade apprehension by the officers, according to the documents.

At Imaizumi’s initial court appearance Wednesday, Hilo District Judge Kanani Laubach confirmed his bail at $36,000 and ordered him to appear today for or a preliminary hearing.

First-degree assault is a Class B felony punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment, while first-degree assault of a law enforcement officer is a Class C felony that carries a potential five-year prison term.

Resisting arrest is a misdemeanor with a maximum sentence of a year in jail.

Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.