Puna man charged with habitual DUI, driving with suspended or revoked license, open container

A 35-year-old Puna man was recently arrested and charged after police officers responding to a welfare check found him passed out in the driver’s seat of a sedan near an intersection in ʻĀinaloa.

Hawai‘i County prosecutors announce Joshua Delmar Randall is charged with:

• Habitually operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant.
• Driving while license suspended or revoked.
• Consuming or possessing intoxicating liquor while operating a motor vehicle.
• No no-fault insurance.

Randall made his initial court appearance the afternoon of Oct. 5 in Hilo District Court, during which his request for supervised release was denied and his bail was maintained at $51,000. He was ordered to appear Oct. 8 for a preliminary hearing.

Habitually operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant is a Class B felony. If convicted, Randall faces either a 10-year prison term or 5 years probation with up to 18 months in jail.

Police reports say officers responding to a welfare check for a man, later identified as Randall, passed out at the wheel of a Geo Metro two-door sedan near the intersection of ʻĀinaloa Boulevard and Stardust Drive.

Officers also observed smoke emitting from the vehicle’s engine bay.

Randall later provided a breath sample indicating a breath alcohol content of 0.223.

Prosecutors also allege Randall was a “highly intoxicated driver,” in that his measurable amount of alcohol was 0.15 or more grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath, thereby elevating the offense from a Class C to Class B felony offense.

The arrest and impaired driving investigation were led by Hawai‘i Police Department Puna Patrol Officers Len Olivar Jr. and Cody Correia.

Deputy Hawai‘i County Prosecuting Attorney Rebecca Lester is prosecuting the case.