Downtown Hilo robbery suspect charged following reported assault of drone surveyors

Hawai‘i Island police have charged 32-year-old Kukaua Keli’iho’oluhi Kaupe Bright, in connection with a robbery that occurred on the afternoon of July 9 in downtown Hilo.

Bright, who has no permanent address, was arrested on July 12 at 3:15 p.m. in downtown Hilo. Later that evening, Bright was charged with the following offenses subsequent to conferral with the Hawai’i County Prosecutors Office:

• First-degree unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle
• Third-degree assault
• Fourth-degree theft
• Unauthorized possession of personal confidential information

Bail was set at $12,100.

Bright remains in custody at the East Hawai’i Detention Facility pending his initial court appearance scheduled for July 15, as he is unable to post bail.

At approximately 2:55 p.m. on July 9, South Hilo patrol officers responded to a reported assault on Ponahawai Street in Hilo, after two men reported being assaulted while working as survey contractors for the County of Hawai’i.

The men reported that just prior to calling police, they were conducting a drone survey off of Ponahawai Street when several men began walking towards them.

The victims reported that the men seemed angry so they began loading their equipment into their vehicle in an attempt to leave and avoid a confrontation. As the victims were attempting to drive off, they were stopped by the men who questioned the victims as to what they were doing in the area.

After the victims informed the men of who they were and the job they were hired to do, two of the men began assaulting the victims while they were seated within their vehicle. The victims received injuries to their faces, with one victim sustaining a chipped tooth. One of the suspects reached into the vehicle and took a driver’s license and drone pilot license belonging to one of the victims. The two victims then drove off to avoid being further assaulted.

Police ask anyone who may have witnessed this incident or who may have information relative to this investigation to call Detective Jeremy Kubojiri of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at 808-961-2378, or via email at jeremy.kubojiri@hawaiicounty.gov.