By JOHN BURNETT Hawaii Tribune-Herald
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A thrice-convicted felon is accused of an armed carjacking of a senior citizen Saturday in downtown Kailua-Kona.

According to court documents filed by police, 47-year-old Walter Gomes III of Pahoa approached an 84-year-old man on Ala Ona Ona St. at about 12:30 p.m. and requested to borrow his white 2018 Toyota Corolla.

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The victim, who didn’t know Gomes, told him that he didn’t want to lend his car, the documents state.

Gomes then allegedly reached into the waistband of his shorts, produced a black handgun and asked the car owner, “You know what this is? Let me borrow your car.”

The victim turned over his keys, watched Gomes enter the driver seat, reverse the car out of a parking stall, and drive away, according to the documents.

Documents state one of the victim’s employees told him the car thief might be Gomes, who was a friend of the employee’s and in the area.

Police spotted the Corolla at about 1:30 a.m. Sunday in the parking lot of Parker Ranch Center in Waimea. According to police, Gomes was reclined in the driver’s seat, asleep.

The driver’s side door was unlocked, so officers opened it and took Gomes into custody without incident.

Officers also allegedly found a 20 gauge shotgun with a shortened butt-stock and sawed-off barrel. The shotgun reportedly had a live slug in the chamber.

Gomes was charged with first-degree robbery, first-degree theft, auto theft, first-degree terroristic threatening, second-degree assault on a police officer, three counts of prohibited possession of a firearm, carrying a loaded firearm on a public roadway, carrying a firearm in the commission of a separate felony, possession of a prohibited weapon illegally carrying a firearm and ammunition, and fourth-degree property damage.

The most serious charge, first-degree robbery, is a Class A felony that carries a potential 20-year prison sentence.

At Gomes’ initial court hearing today, Kona District Judge David Harada-Stone maintained bail at $293,000 and ordered Gomes to appear for a preliminary hearing at 3 p.m. Wednesday.

Gomes remains in custody at Hawaii Community Correctional Center.

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