Suspect in attempt to run
over cop hit an HPD
officer in 1996 incident

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By Nelson Daranciang
ndaranciang@starbulletin.com

The man accused of trying to run over a police officer and another man with a stolen car in Nanakuli on Monday was involved in a similar incident in Waianae five years ago.

On June 2, 1996, Benjamin Pale, then 26, rammed a stolen car three times into a police vehicle that had boxed him in. Police had an all-points bulletin for Pale's arrest and had cornered him following a chase through Waianae. Following the third impact, Pale was able to free his car. But according to witnesses, as he fled, Pale struck officer Gregory Cantrell, who was standing outside his police vehicle.

Cantrell was not seriously injured, but he fired all 14 rounds from his service weapon at Pale's vehicle. None of the shots hit Pale.

Pale was arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder. He pleaded guilty to criminal property damage. In December 1996, Pale was sentenced to five years in prison. He was released earlier this year.

Cantrell, who is no longer a Honolulu police officer, was cleared of any wrongdoing.

In Monday's incident, police said officer Philip Aguilar and another man were standing in the driveway of a Nanakuli home when a car that police said was driven by Pale sped toward them from the back of the home.

Police said Aguilar was performing surveillance on the home, where they suspected car thieves were stripping stolen cars. Aguilar fired two shots at the car. One shot hit Pale in the shoulder. After police arrested him later in the day, Pale was treated at Queen's Medical Center and returned to police custody.

Pale, now 31, made his initial court appearance in Honolulu District Court yesterday on two counts of first-degree attempted murder and two for second-degree attempted murder in connection with the incident. He is also charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition.

Police imposed one of the first-degree attempted murder charges because there was more than one intended victim, the other because one of them is a police officer. He is charged with one count of attempted second-degree murder for each of the intended victims.

Pale remains in custody in lieu of $500,000 bail and is scheduled to return to court Monday for a preliminary hearing.

Pale's criminal history dates to 1994. It includes six auto theft and several drug convictions.