Second suspect charged in Waimea drug raid 03-11-05

HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
WEST HAWAII CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DIVISION
CAPTAIN ROBERT HICKCOX
PHONE: 326-4646, EXT. 263
MARCH 11, 2004

MEDIA RELEASE UPDATE

Police have charged one more suspect who was arrested as the result of a drug raid on a Waimea residence.

Thursday evening (March 10, 2005), West Hawaii Vice Section officers charged Thomas Pahio, 43, of Honokaa, Hamakua, with three counts of promotion of a dangerous drug, two counts of promotion of a detrimental drug and three counts of illegal possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held in the Kona police cellblock in lieu of $16,500 bail.

Pahio was among eight persons arrested during the execution of a drug warrant at the residence.

Earlier Thursday, East Hawaii Criminal Investigation Section detectives charged Randall L. Cruz, 48, of Waimea, with attempted murder for allegedly trying to run over one of the West Hawaii Vice Section officers as they were executing a search warrant on the residence, near the 55-mile marker of the Hawaii Belt Road (Route 19). In addition to the attempted murder charge, Cruz was charged by CIS detectives with resisting arrest.

Police also charged him with third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, third-degree promotion of a detrimental drug and two counts of illegal possession of drug paraphernalia after a search of the SUV was made and officers found 1.5 grams of crystal methamphetamine, or “ice,” and 9.5 grams of dried processed marijuana and a number of pills.

Cruz is being held in the Kona police cellblock in lieu of $206,750 bail. If convicted on the attempted murder charge, he faces a possible sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

Cruz’ charges stem from an incident that occurred about 9 p.m. Tuesday (March 8, 2005). As vice officers were executing the search warrant, Cruz drove a late model Isuzu sports utility vehicle into the driveway. When officers identified themselves and approached the vehicle, it abruptly reversed in an attempt to flee the scene. The SUV reversed directions several times in an attempt to escape. During the process, it ran into a fence post, a tractor and a warehouse, and it sped directly toward one of the vice officers twice.

As the SUV sped toward the officer the second time, the officer, trying to get out of the way of the vehicle, fired a round from his weapon and jumped behind a boulder on the side of the driveway. The vehicle struck the boulder and stopped. Vice officers then arrested Cruz and his passenger, Weston K. Lindsey, 36, whose residence was being searched.

The officer who fired his weapon, a 23-year veteran of the Hawaii County Police Department, was not injured in the incident.

Lindsey was arrested for attempted murder. After a search of his residence, he was also arrested for one count of promoting a dangerous drug, one count of promotion of a harmful drug, one count of promoting a detrimental drug and two counts of possessing illegal drug paraphernalia. He has been released pending further investigation.

Executing a search warrant at Lindsey’s residence, officers found 1.8 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 23.3 grams dried processed marijuana and a number of pills.

Three men and three women who were at the residence were also arrested by West Hawaii Vice Section detectives. Besides Pahio, they are:

  • Misty Key, 39, of Honokaa, Hamakua, arrested for two counts of promotion of a dangerous drug, one count of promotion of a detrimental drug and two counts of illegal possession of drug paraphernalia. Key was released on the drug offenses pending further investigation, but is being held in the Kona police cellblock on a separate warrant.
  • Nani Jo Keanini, 29, of no permanent address, arrested for one count of promotion of a dangerous drug, one count of promotion of a detrimental drug and one count of illegal possession of drug paraphernalia. She was released pending further investigation.
  • Jamey Pang, 31, of Hawi, North Kohala, arrested for one count of promotion of a dangerous drug, one count of promotion of a detrimental drug and one count of illegal possession of drug paraphernalia. He was released pending further investigation.
  • Chad Piilani, 27, of no permanent address, arrested for one count of promotion of a dangerous drug, one count of promotion of a detrimental drug and one count of illegal possession of drug paraphernalia. He was released pending further investigation.
  • Natalie Taketa, 32, of Kailua-Kona, arrested for three counts of promotion of a dangerous drug, one count of promotion of detrimental drug paraphernalia.

In addition to the attempted murder investigation by East Hawaii CIS detectives, the Internal Affairs Unit is also conducting an investigation into the incident, which is standard practice whenever an officer fires his weapon in the line of duty.

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