Hawai‘i Island police officer, fearing for his life, shoots at car careening toward him

A 21-year-old Kailua-Kona man was arrested early the morning of April 4 after allegedly nearly hitting a Hawai‘i Police Department officer with a car while the officer was responding to the scene of a traffic crash on Palani Road in Kona.

The officer, fearing for his life, fired his gun at least two times at the vehicle as it careened toward him.

Akira Kauilani of Kailua-Kona was taken into custody for reckless endangering, operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant and other traffic-related offenses following the incident just after 3 a.m. Friday at the Konalani Street intersection with Palani Road, near the 37-mile marker in Kailua-Kona.

Kona Patrol officers responded at about 1:30 a.m. to the area on the report of a traffic crash. When they arrived, they found a vehicle hit a utility pole, causing it and live eletrcial wires to fall and block Palani Road.

Fortunately, the driver involved in the crash was uninjured.

Officers diverted traffic through a nearby subdivision — with one positioned on Palani Road near Palihiolo Street and another at the Konalani Street intersection — while they waited for workers with Hawaiian Electric to arrive and repair the damage caused in the crash.

Flares were used to warn approaching drivers. The officers’ emergency lights were also illuminated.

The officer at the Konalani Street intersection was outside his police vehicle at about 3:03 a.m., laying out additional flares, when a red Volvo C30 approached his position at a high rate of speed.

He used his flashlight and arms to signal the driver — later identified as Kauilani — and gain his attention, attempting to warn them about the hazard ahead and directing them to the Konalani Street detour.

Kauilani allegedly disregarded the officer’s instructions and drove into the oncoming traffic lane, apparentely directly at the officer.

Thinking he would be struck by the vehicle and in fear for his life, the officer fired at least twice at the Volvo, which sped past him and came to a stop about 100 yards away from the officer’s vehicle.

The officer rushed to the Volvo to render assistance and detain Kauilani, who was not hit by the officer’s bullets but did receive lacerations to his head and forearms from broken glass.

There were no passengers in his vehicle. The officer was unjured.

Hawai‘i Police Department’s Office of Professional Standards initiated a critical incident review into the incident, as is standard practice. The officer who fired his firearm — a member of the department for just less than 2 years and assigned to Kona Patrol — was placed on administrative leave.

Anyone who might have witnessed or have any information about the incident is asked to contact Detective Gavin Kagimoto at 808-961-2348 or via email at gavin.kagimoto@hawaiicounty.gov.

They can also call Hawai‘i Police Department’s non-emergency line at 808-935-3311.