Trio Charged in Hilo Threat Case

Betty Anzai, Jake Gassett, and Travis Anzai from left to right. HPD photos.

The Hawai’i Police Department has charged three individuals in connection to a threat incident that occurred Monday.

Officers responded to a report of a disturbance at 12:21 a.m., where they found several people confronting a 47-year-old man fronting a residence on the 1000 block of Kuahiwi Place in Hilo.

One of the male suspects, along with the victim, were each armed with baseball bats.

An officer on scene ordered one of the suspects to drop his bat and he refused, according to HPD. A taser was used to subdue the man before he was taken into custody for first-degree terroristic threatening

Police has identified the suspect as Jake Gassett, 24, of Hilo.

Authorities say the remaining suspects fled the scene in two pickup trucks. South Hilo patrol officers stopped one of the vehicles in front of Mohouli Park.

Travis Anzai, 19, of Hilo was driving the vehicle.

The second truck, driven by 52-year-old Betty Anzai of Hilo, was stopped on Komohana Street. A 20-year-old who police identified as Darcy Alameda of Hilo was a passenger in the second vehicle.

Police found that Travis Anzai had wielded a shotgun, but threw it into the back of one of the trucks prior to the officers’ arrival at the scene.

Travis Anzai was arrested for having an open container of beer in his vehicle and first degree terroristic threatening

Police recovered a rifle case that had been observed in his vehicle as the investigation continued.

Police say that Betty Anzai consented to a search of her vehicle, where officers recovered a 12-gauge shotgun shell, a baseball bat, and an expandable baton.

Betty Anzai and Alameda were both arrested for first-degree terroristic threatening.

Police also arrested Alameda for an unrelated contempt of court bench warrant and deadly weapon charge when a pair of brass knuckles was found on him.

Further investigation by Area I Criminal Investigation Section detectives led to the recovery of a shotgun from Komohana Street and three shotgun shells within Travis Anzai’s vehicle.

Authorities conferred with the Prosecutor’s Office and released Alameda, pending further investigation.

Travis Anzai was charged with two counts of first-degree terroristic threatening, open liquor in a motor vehicle, an unloaded firearm, and place to keep ammunition. His bail was set at $31,250.

Betty Anzai was charged with two counts of first-degree terroristic threatening, place to keep ammunition, unloaded firearms on a highway, and felon in possession of ammunition/firearm. Her bail was set at $46,000.

HPD charged Gassett with first-degree terroristic threatening. His bail was set at $2,000.