Kona man indicted on attempted murder, armed robbery, other charges

A Kona man who was allegedly involved in a Nov. 10 incident in Kona that involved an armed robbery, car crash and shooting at a police officer has been indicted on several charges stemming from the incident.

The Hawai‘i County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney says 27-year-old Dyllan Paulo-Leslie was indicted on the following 24 charges:

• First-degree attempted murder.
• First-degree robbery.
• Second-degree reckless endangering.
• Three counts of first-degree terroristic threatening.
• Two counts of carrying or use of a firearm in the commission of a separate felony.
• Two counts of ownership or possession of firearm prohibited.
• Two counts of ownership or possession of ammunition prohibited.
• Two counts of carrying or possessing a loaded firearm on a public highway.
• Two counts of place to keep pistol or revolver.
• Two counts of place to keep ammunition.
• Second-degree theft.
• First-degree criminal property damage.
• Manufacturing, purchasing or obtaining firearm parts to assemble a firearm having no serial number.
• Second-degree promoting a dangerous drug.
• Driving without a license.
• Inattention to driving.

Paulo-Leslie, who has six prior felony convictions, is scheduled to make his initial appearance Friday in Kona Circuit Court. He remains in custody in lieu of $1.5 million bail.

First-degree attempted murder carries a penalty of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. First-degree robbery and carrying or use of a firearm in the commission of a separate felony are both Class A felonies usually punishable by a 20-year prison term; however, prosecutors provided notice of the intent to seek an indeterminate life term of imprisonment for those charges.

On Nov. 10, a masked man, later identified as Paulo-Leslie, allegedly brandished a firearm during a robbery at a restaurant on Kauhola Street in Kaloko Industrial Park. Paulo-Leslie and a female passenger fled the scene in a Toyota Tacoma, which was later involved in a traffic collision with another vehicle at the intersection of Highway 190 and Hina Lani Street.

Paulo-Leslie then allegedly discharged a firearm at a police officer responding to the traffic collision, striking the rear driver’s side tire of the officer’s police vehicle.

Paulo-Leslie was arrested a short time later at a residence on Old Māmalahoa Highway.

The case was initiated by the Hawai‘i Police Department’s Kona Patrol and the felony investigation was handled by Detective Sheldon Nakamoto and members of the Police Department’s Area II Criminal Investigation Section.

The case is being prosecuted by Deputy County Prosecuting Attorneys Kaua Jackson and Kate Perazich.