Police describe mayhem
of foiled robberyA failed vehicle theft led to another,
along with several assaults
A 39-year-old man crashed a stolen van into two other vehicles Friday and used pepper spray on three people including two police officers, according to an affidavit filed in District Court yesterday.
The police affidavit was submitted to support numerous charges filed against James Plichta, including two counts of felony assault on a police officer, two counts of robbery and criminal property damage.
Plichta, who made his initial appearance in Honolulu District Court yesterday, has no local address and is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail.
According to the affidavit, Plichta used a hatchet to break the window of a sport utility vehicle parked at 111 Sand Island Access Road, got into the vehicle, then chased and threatened the car's owner, who tried to stop him.
Plichta then got into a food delivery van parked nearby but left after he could not find the keys, police said.
Plichta then hijacked a different food delivery van using pepper spray on the driver, police said. When the driver of a moving van saw what happened and tried to block the delivery van, the two vehicles collided, according to the affidavit.
Plichta maneuvered the delivery van past the other van but crashed into a police van driven by an officer responding to the scene, according to the affidavit.
Another officer arrived and ordered Plichta out of the van. As Plichta got out he sprayed pepper spray at the officer but missed, police said.
Plichta fled but was cornered at a warehouse on Auiki Street where he sprayed two other officers in the face with pepper spray, the affidavit said.
The officers arrested Plichta and charged him on Saturday.
