Police in Puna arrested a 39-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman early Wednesday morning after determining the man was driving a stolen truck with a stolen trailer.
Sergey Anatolyevich Tkachuk was charged with an litany of firearms and property offenses. Those include being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition; possession of a weapon with a prohibited barrel length; possession of an unserialized “ghost gun”; first- and second-degree theft; illegally carrying a firearm; unauthorized control of a stolen vehicle; and three counts unauthorized possession of confidential personal information.
His companion, Isabella Penn, was charged with two counts of third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, plus unauthorized entry to a motor vehicle.
Shortly before 2 a.m. Wednesday, patrol officers in Ainaloa subdivision spotted a pickup truck with trailer turn onto Sugarcane Drive from Ainaloa Boulevard. They saw the same truck a short time later on the side of Sugarcane partially in the bushes.
According to police, the truck engine was still running, the lights were on, and the driver door was open. The truck, however, had no occupants. Officers determined the truck and trailer both were recently reported stolen.
Officers saw a fresh trail in the nearby bushes and apprehended Tkachuk and Penn, who were trying to hide.
They were arrested for outstanding warrants. The stolen truck and trailer, as well as two bags found next to Tkachuk, were searched after warrants were obtained.
The search turned up an unserialized rifle with a prohibited barrel length, ammunition, and documents containing personal confidential information not belonging to Tkachuk or Penn.
On Thursday, Hilo District Judge Kanani Launch maintained Tkachuk’s bail at $165,000 and Penn’s at $21,000 and ordered both to return Monday for preliminary hearings.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.