HILO >> Police have charged Joey K. Caseres, 18, of Hilo, with several felonies in connection with a high-speed chase across the Big Island on Wednesday. Big Isle chase leads
to several chargesBy Rod Thompson
rthompson@starbulletin.comA juvenile accomplice was turned over to the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility on Oahu, police said.
Events began Saturday when the two allegedly stole a sedan parked at Hale Nani Correctional Center in Hilo, police said. On Wednesday they drove the car to the other side of the island, where they attempted to crash through the gates of Mauna Lani Resort, police said.
Security guards called police, who spotted the car near Kawaihae and chased it 25 miles south to the outskirts of Kailua-Kona.
The car then was driven upland and north on Hawaii Belt Road. Police broke off the chase because of the danger of high speeds on the winding road.
The suspects turned onto the Saddle Road, allegedly tried to steal a car at Mauna Kea State Park, then hijacked a different car and forced a man, 23, and woman, 27, to drive toward Hilo, police said.
A marijuana eradication helicopter spotted the new stolen car and radioed police in Hilo, who stopped the car without incident or injuries at Kaumana City above Hilo.
Caseres was charged yesterday with two counts of kidnapping, three counts of car theft, one count of attempted car theft, one count of unauthorized entry into a vehicle and five counts of criminal property damage. He is being held in lieu of $17,100 bail.