Media Release (corrects 1st & 5th paragraphs)

A Washington state [corrected place of residence] man is in police custody while detectives investigate an incident reported as road rage.

A 21-year-old Kealakekua woman reported that while she was driving on Ali’i Drive in Kailua-Kona near White Sands Beach Park around 10:40 p.m. Monday (November 1), a car pulled in front of her pickup truck and stopped. The male driver got out of the car, went to the victim’s truck and tried to remove her key from the ignition. He then grabbed her hair and removed personal items from the cab of the truck.

The man returned to his car, put the stolen items inside, went back to the victim and threatened her with a knife. He then grabbed a baseball bat from the bed of the victim’s truck and threatened her with that.

The man fled when another vehicle approached the scene.

Police located the suspect, 41-year-old Christopher James Roberg of Spokane, Washington, [corrected place of residence] at 12:05 a.m. Tuesday (November 2) at the intersection of Palani Road and Kuakini Highway. He was arrested on suspicion of first-degree robbery, kidnapping, third-degree assault, unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle, and two counts of terroristic threatening.

He is being held at the Kona police cellblock while detectives from the Area II Criminal Investigations Section continue the investigation.

The victim refused treatment from Fire Department personnel.

Police ask that any possible witnesses call Detective Sean Smith at 326-4646, Ext. 275, or the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.