Court documents describe how a 21-year-old Captain Cook man allegedly ambushed, terrorized, abducted and robbed an Ocean View shopkeeper last month.
Those documents state that at about 2:30 p.m. July 20, the victim, a 61-year-old man, saw a masked man — identified by police as Derick Camacho — on video surveillance in real time attempting to break into the Kahuku Gift Shop, and went to the business to investigate further.
When the businessman arrived at his store, he saw a moped parked behind the business. When the man approached the moped, he was reportedly accosted by the masked man, who allegedly grabbed the victim by the hair and dragged him across a gravel parking lot.
The alleged assailant yelled “I’m going to f—-ing kill you, haole,” “I’m going to shoot you” and “I’m going to stab you,” according to the documents.
The suspect demanded the victim open the front door to the business and punched him in the face. The victim reportedly complied, telling the intruder he wasn’t going to fight back and the suspect could have whatever he wanted.
While inside the shop, Camacho allegedly started loading items into backpacks sold in the shop as well as store-owned shopping baskets. The victim told police that Camacho ordered him to help him load merchandise into backpacks, and the storekeeper, fearing for his life, did so — including candy and other snacks, jewelry and cash.
The suspect then allegedly told the victim to load the items into the shopkeeper’s white 2020 Ford utility van, which he did. At one point, the victim was able to break free and attempted to run next door to the Ohana Fuels gas station, but was caught and tackled by the alleged assailant.
The assailant allegedly continued to threaten the victim, dragged him by the hair back into the store, and bound his wrists and ankles with packing tape.
Police were reportedly investigating another active burglary nearby and responded while Camacho was still at the establishment, the documents state.
In a brief standoff with officers, Camacho allegedly used the victim as a human shield in an attempt to elude capture. Documents state that when Camacho refused to comply with repeated instructions to release the store owner, Ka‘u Patrol Sgt. Darrell Clinton tased Camacho and took him into custody.
Police reportedly recovered from Camacho $1,025.50 in cash, 50 silver chains worth $20 each, a set of keys to the store and the victim’s van, and miscellaneous other items of merchandise.
Camacho, who allegedly had a knife in his possession, was charged with first-degree robbery, second-degree burglary, second-degree theft, two counts of kidnapping — for allegedly restraining the victim and using him a human shield — and attempted auto theft.
The most serious charges, first-degree robbery and kidnapping, are Class A felony offenses that carry a potential of 20 years imprisonment.
Camacho on July 24 was granted supervised release — a form of cashless bail — over the objection of prosecutors by Kona District Judge Kimberly Taniyama.
A Kona grand jury indicted Camacho on Aug. 1 and he remained at large until arrested on Wednesday. A bench warrant accompanying the indictment set Camacho’s bail at $250,000 and ordered him to stay 100 yards away from the victim.
Camacho, who has no prior adult criminal record, was scheduled for arraignment and plea Thursday afternoon before Third Circuit Chief Judge Robert Kim in Kona.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
