44-year-old accused of shooting girlfriend in head indicted for attempted murder on Big Island

An Ocean View man who was accused of shooting his girlfriend in the head with a shotgun was indicted in the 3rd Circuit Court on Wednesday for attempted murder and various other offenses, including leading authorities on a high-speed chase.

At the same time the Hilo grand jury convened, 44-year-old Ronald Kahihikolo appeared for a preliminary hearing in Kona District Court for the same case. The preliminary hearing was continued until March 24 because all the witnesses were unavailable.

Defense attorney Matthew Silva objected to the continuance because the state had opportunity to bring key witnesses to the stand for the Kona hearing. The three Hawai‘i police officers who testified at the preliminary hearing on Wednesday did not witness Kahihikolo at any of the reported crime scenes.

Silva described their testimonies as “excessive use of hearsay” because some of the officers’ testimony was about the experiences or what was witnessed by another officer.

“He’s being held on bail that he cannot post,” Silva said of Kahihikolo. “…We’re ready, he’s been ready.”

Kahihikolo is charged with the following:

• Second-degree attempted murder.
• Abuse of a family/household member.
• Ownership/possession of a firearm prohibited.
• Carrying a firearm in the commission of a separate felony.
• Unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle
• First-degree theft.
• Resisting an order to stop.
• Contempt of court.
• Two counts of violations of conditions of release on bail, recognizance or supervised release.
• Two counts of discharge of sureties.

The charges stem from an incident on March 7 in which a 42-year-old woman was shot during a domestic dispute in the 92-2000 block of Outrigger Drive in Ocean View. The woman sought medical attention for the gunshot wound at the Ocean View Fire Station. She was transported to Kona Community Hospital, where she was in stable condition.

Kahihikolo eluded capture for five days. Authorities came close to catching the him on March 10 after plainclothes Area II Vice detectives received information that Kahihikolo was in the Kona area and in the company of individuals who were in possession of two stolen vehicles, a silver Chevy Malibu and a white Dodge Charger, and were getting gas. As the detectives canvassed the area, they spotted the Malibu as it was traveling southbound on Kamakaeha Avenue.

Police confirmed last week that in an attempt to stop the driver of the Malibu, later identified as 32-year-old Kainoa Kahele-Bishop of Kailua-Kona, two detectives shot Kahele-Bishop when he ignored police commands to show his hands and began reaching for an object. He died at the scene.

The driver of the Charger, believed to be Kahihikolo, continued toward Waimea. On Wednesday, Officer Adam Roberg testified about his attempt to stop the driver of the Charger after he observed the suspected vehicle on Highway 190.

Roberg said he attempted a traffic stop close to Waimea, however, the driver of the Charger maintained speeds of 70 to 80 mph through Waimea town, crossing over double lines. He followed the vehicle for about 20 minutes. The driver didn’t leave the highway until Pa‘auilo when Roberg testified he turned down an old farm road.

Roberg said he lost sight of the vehicle briefly. When he found the Charger again, it was stopped. When he got out and approached the vehicle, there were no occupants inside. He never located the driver.

Kahihikolo was found the following day on March 11 at around 11 a.m. and taken into custody.

During the preliminary hearing, Det. Jason Foxworthy recounted his visit on March 7 to the Ocean View Fire Station, where the victim of the shooting was dropped off. He said he recovered a black hoodie saturated in blood with two holes on the right side of the hood.

Foxworthy spoke to the 42-year-old female victim and confirmed seeing an injury to her head.

Det. Blayne Matsui with the department’s Kona juvenile aid section also met with the victim on March 7. Matsui told the court that the woman’s right side of her head was wrapped in medical tape.

“There was a large scalp laceration,” Matsui said. “She was complaining her head was sore and ears were ringing.”

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Chase Murray questioned Matsui about the events leading up to the shooting. As he attempted to answer the question, Silva objected, claiming the comments would be hearsay and adding the victim could have been in court to recount the events herself.

Murray said the victim had a doctor’s appointment at 1 p.m. in Hilo and it would have been “demonstratively inconvenient” for her to drive across the island to make the hearing. Judge Kim Taniyama agreed with Murray.

With Kahihikolo now indicted in 3rd Circuit Court, Murray said the case in district court will close.

All criminal complaints are filed in district court. A preliminary hearing is required to establish probable cause to move cases over to the circuit court for jury trial.