Ka‘ū Man Charged on Array of Burglary, Assault Offenses

A 33-year-old Ocean View man was arrested and charged for several crimes occurring in the Ocean View area of Ka‘ū.

Travis Leka was arrested Sunday on outstanding warrants as well as for an array of assault and burglary offenses, according to the Hawai‘i Police Department. His bail was set at $80,000 and he was remanded to the custody of the Hawai‘i Community Correctional Center pending court appearances.

On Sunday, Jan. 16, at 9:54 a.m., police responded to a report of an unidentified man who was captured on video surveillance within a residence on Prince Kūhiō Boulevard in the Hawaiian Ocean View Ranchos Subdivision. The suspect, later identified as Leka, left the area on foot prior to the officers’ arrival, but was later located by police on Hawai`i Boulevard in the Hawaii Ocean View Estates Subdivision.

At 11:05 a.m., Leka was arrested without incident for his two outstanding warrants and for suspicion of burglary. He was taken to the Nā‘ālehu Police Station while detectives from the Area II Criminal Investigation Section continued the investigation into this and other crimes he was suspected of being involved with in the Ocean View area.

Later Sunday evening and after conferring with the county prosecutor’s office, police charged Leka for one count of first-degree burglary in connection with the Jan. 16 incident on Prince Kūhiō Boulevard. He was also arrested and charged with first-degree terroristic threatening, unlawful imprisonment, and abuse of a family/household member stemming from a Dec. 7, 2021, incident on Tiki Lane involving a 26-year-old Ocean View woman; second-degree assault against a 46-year-old Ocean View man with a crowbar at a Walaka Drive address on Dec. 8; second-degree burglary of a structure on Pineapple Parkway, also on Dec. 8; and two counts of unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle involving a truck and van that were taken from a Bamboo Lane property on Dec. 31.

Leka had his initial appearance in Kona District Court on Jan. 18, and was held on bail and remanded to the custody of the correctional center pending a preliminary hearing Jan. 20 in Hilo District Court.

Anyone with any information on these incidents is asked to call the police department’s non-emergency line at 808-935-3311 or Detective Donovan Kohara of the Area II Criminal Investigation Section at 808-326-4646 Ext. 267; or via email at [email protected].

Citizens who wish to remain anonymous may call the island-wide Crime Stoppers at 808-961-8300 and be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential and does not record any calls or subscribe to caller ID.