Escapee gives police
the slip

A Big Island fugitive and his
accomplice remain at large
after a high-speed chase

HILO » Big Island police are looking for a jail escapee and his female accomplice following a high-speed chase along the Hilo shoreline Monday night.

The two fugitives got away when the chase was called off for safety reasons, police said.

Police identified the two as Winston Hoapili, 31, a Hawaii Community Correctional Center detainee who escaped with the help of Helenamae Lynne Pang, 20, of no permanent address.

Hoapili, being held while awaiting trial for theft and drug offenses, had been taken for a medical appointment to Ponahawai Medical Clinic near the jail shortly before 1 p.m.

Hoapili jumped in a white compact car driven by a woman and sped away. Police later determined the woman to be Pang.

Monday evening police received a tip that Hoapili was in the shoreline Keaukaha area of Hilo.

At about 7 p.m., Hoapili and Pang were passengers in a Mazda pickup truck when police officers spotted them. The two forced the driver out of the truck and sped away toward the downtown area of Hilo.

Police called off the chase as the couple left town and sped north toward the Hamakua Coast. Officers later recovered the abandoned truck at Papaikou, four miles north of downtown.

Hoapili has a history of violence, might be armed and should not be approached, police said. Anyone with knowledge about him or Pang, or anyone who witnessed the escape on Friday should call police at 935-3311 or Crime- Stoppers at 961-8300.

Hoapili is described as 5-foot-11, 170 pounds, with long brown hair, brown eyes and numerous tattoos on his arms, thighs, chest and back.

He frequently wears a seaman's cap, police said.

Pang is described as 5-foot-4, 130 pounds, thin and with a fair complexion, long brown hair and hazel eyes.

She is being sought for conspiracy to commit escape, robbery and carjacking, as well as for several outstanding warrants.