11-14-19 Daniel K. Inouye Highway traffic enforcement (Update)

News Release from Hawaiʻi Police Department, Nov 14, 2019

Police assigned to be in place for the TMT protestor blockade and encampment on Mauna Kea access road continued the stepped up traffic enforcement efforts on Daniel K. Inouye Highway (Route 200) which began on August 15, 2019. 

The continuing efforts of police during the new week-long period covering last Thursday (November 7) to date has resulted in the issuance of an additional 312 traffic citations and 2 suspects arrested for 11 offenses.  The 312 citations were categorized as follows:

Speeding (162)
Excessive Speeding (3)
Seatbelt (24)
Child Restraint (2)
Cellular Phone/Electronic device (0)
Tint (6)
No Driver’s License (7)
No Insurance (8)
Unsafe vehicle (7)
Other moving violation (6)
No License plate (9)
Regulatory (77)
Parking (1)

The 11 arrested offenses were categorized as follows:

Contempt/Failure to appear warrant (1)
Revocation of Probation warrants (2)
Resisting Order to Stop Motor Vehicle (1)
Reckless Driving (1)
Excessive Speed (2)
No Driver’s License (1)
No Insurance (1)
Promoting a Dangerous Drug (1)
Drug Paraphernalia (1)

The combined total of the 13-week long Daniel K. Inouye Highway enhanced traffic enforcement efforts by Hawaiʻi Police Department stands at 6585 citations issued and 62 persons arrested for 121 offenses.   The effort will continue for the duration of the ongoing protest situation to promote the safety of motorist and pedestrians alike.  

Big Island Police: Flags on cars not a problem

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11-13-19 Mauna Kea pursuit leads to drug and traffic offenses

News Release from Hawaiʻi Police Department, Nov 13, 2019

Dylan J.K. Naope

Cherise King

Police have charged a 28-year-old male suspect with numerous traffic violations following a high-speed pursuit on Daniel K. Inouye highway that occurred on the Veterans Day Holiday (Monday, November 11, 2019).

The suspect is identified as a Dylan J.K. Naope of a Hilo address.

On Monday morning, at approximately 10:00 a.m., police were conducting a traffic enforcement project on Daniel K. Inouye highway near the Mauna Kea Access road intersection (28 mm) when a black 2002 Dodge pickup was spotted heading Hilo bound with an expired safety inspection sticker.  As an officer stepped out from the shoulder attempting to direct the driver to pull over, the Dodge pickup drove left, crossing over the double solid yellow line and overtook multiple vehicles through the no passing zone near the temporary traffic light (middle of the protestor encampment), and then rapidly picked up speed.

Officers immediately drove after the fleeing suspect and radioed to another officer posted ahead. The subsequent police pursuit extended 20 miles with the Dodge pickup reaching speeds of 100 mph and at times driving down the center of both lanes of travel.  Police disengaged from the pursuit when the pickup truck turned off onto the old saddle road above Hilo (Kaumana Drive), but remained in the area and conducted further checks.

Receiving a tip from a member of the public a short time later of a truck speeding through a neighborhood, officers were able to successfully locate the Dodge pickup partially covered by a tarp at a residence in the Kaumana City subdivision.  Officers further conducted a check of the residence and apprehended a male and female hiding in a storage room on the downstairs portion of the house.  The Dodge pickup truck was recovered as evidence and towed. Both suspects did not live at the home but were stated to be acquaintances of the resident.  

A search warrant was served on the Dodge pickup and a purse which resulted in the recovery of a smoking pipe and baggie containing trace amounts of methamphetamine.  Upon later conferring with prosecutors, police charged Dylan Naope (the driver of the Dodge pickup) with Resisting Order to Stop in the 1st degree (a class C felony offense), Reckless Driving, Excessive Speeding (81+ mph), Excessive Speeding (30+ mph), Driving without Operator License, and No Motor Vehicle Insurance with a total bail for the traffic offenses set at $15,000.  Naope was also arrested and charged with two probation revocation warrants ($2000 and $5000 bail) and a criminal Contempt of Court warrant ($1000 bail), his total bail combining his traffic offense and warrants totaled $23,000.  

The female passenger in the Dodge truck, identified as 39-year-old Cherise King of a Hilo address, was subsequently charged with Promoting a Dangerous Drug in the 3rd degree and Drug Paraphernalia.  Her bail was set at $10,250. 

Both suspects have been unable to post bail and remain in custody at the Hilo Police Detention center pending their court appearance.