Guilty plea in Sam's Club carjacking, theft
A 41-year-old man pleaded guilty yesterday to charges stemming from the carjacking at knife-point of an off-duty federal police officer in front of the Keeaumoku Sam's Club.
Spencer Kurihara Jr. 41, entered the pleas in Circuit Court to kidnapping, second-degree theft and five counts of terroristic threatening in the Nov. 30, 2004, incident.
Kurihara admitted to the court yesterday that he stole items valued at more than $300 from Sam's Club and that he threatened several people with a pocketknife.
Police said Kurihara had shoplifted items from the store's electronics department about 2 p.m. when he was confronted by store officials. He allegedly returned the items but panicked, pulled out a pocketknife and fled.
He allegedly was swinging the 3- to 4-inch pocketknife and pointing it at people in the Sam's Club parking lot before confronting off-duty federal officer Christopher Allison and ordering him to drive or he would be stabbed.
Allison drove onto Kapiolani Boulevard and was able to persuade Kurihara to put the knife down.
Police officers surrounded the car when they turned onto Cooke Street. Kurihara told Allison to ram the police cars, but Allison turned off the engine and managed to jump out, police said.
Deputy Public Defender William Bento said Kurihara gave up and released Allison when police surrounded the car with their weapons drawn.
Kurihara faces a maximum of 20 years imprisonment for the kidnapping and a mandatory minimum of 13 years and four months as a repeat offender.