Hilo man caught at scene of active burglary, rams police vehicle with stolen truck, leads officers on slow-speed chase

A 33-year-old Hilo man faces a slew of charges after being caught at the scene of an active buglary Sunday at a warehouse on a Puna property before ramming a police vehicle, leading officers on a slow-speed chase in multiple subdivisions and a short foot chase.

Gilbert K. Mata III is charged with:

• First-degree criminal property damage.
• First-degree theft.
• Habitual property crime.
• Unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle.
• Resisting an order to stop a motor vehicle.
• 4 counts of third-degree promoting a dangerous drug.

Mata’s bail was set at $240,000, which he was unable to post. He made his initial court appearance Monday in South Hilo District Court.

The charges against Mata stem from an incident reported by a concerned citizen who reported an active burglary Sunday at a residence in the 15-1500 block of 21st Avenue in Hawaiian Paradise Park.

Responding officers observed a heavily tinted silver Toyota Tacoma with no front license plate parked near a warehouse at the rear of the property.

As an officer exited the passenger side of a police vehicle, the truck’s driver, later identified as Mata, revved its engine and accelerated at a high rate of speed toward the officer and police vehicle.

Fearing for his safety, the officer jumped back into the police vehicle before the truck veered to its right, striking and running over a fence.

The truck then reversed aggressively toward the police vehicle, striking the driver’s side door and causing damage.

The front driver’s side tire of the truck was deflated after running over the fence. As the truck left the property, officers attempted a traffic stop, but Mata refused to stop and led police on a slow pursuit, out of Hawaiian Paradise Park, onto Highway 130, into ʻĀinaloa Estates and into Hawaiian Acres.

The truck eventually came to a stop on Road 6, between Road E and Road F.

Upon commands of officers, Mata, carrying a black backpack, exited the driver’s side door and a woman, later identified as Carolyn Samson, carrying a gray backpack, exited the passenger’s side door.

Both parties fled on foot and ran into the nearby bushes, dropping the backpacks. They were apprehended about 10 feet inside the bushes.

Both were arrested and taken to the East Hawai‘i Detention Facility in Hilo.

The officers within the vehicle struck by Mata were not injured.

Samson was released pending investigation.

Hawai‘i Police Department detectives continued to investigate. The truck and backpacks were recovered as evidence and secured pending the execution of search warrants.

Officers conducted a registered owner check on the Tacoma that revealed the truck was stolen sometime during the late evening of July 27 or early morning of July 28 from a residence in the 20 block of Ka‘apuni Street in Hilo.

Search warrants were executed Sunday morning on the truck and backpacks, resulting in the recovery of small amounts of methamphetamine, a methamphetamine-smoking pipe and a blue round pill imprinted with “M30,” which tested positive for the presence of fentanyl.

Anyone who might have information about this incident is encouraged to contact Detective Jeremy Kubojiri at 808-961-2378 or via email at jeremy.kubojiri@hawaiicounty.gov.