Man ordered to jail
flees courtThe Waianae man is caught
across the street by deputies
minutes after bolting
A Waianae man ordered to jail for repeatedly failing to report to his probation officer escaped from Circuit Court yesterday before being captured minutes later across the street.
Daniel Kawaauhau fled the courtroom of Circuit Judge Michael Town yesterday, surprising even his court-appointed attorney, James Beaman.
"I think he was shocked," said Beaman. "When the good Judge Town told him he was going to be locked up, his impulse was to flee."
Kawaauhau got as far as Restaurant Row across the street where he was apprehended by sheriff deputies and returned to the courthouse.
The escape and ensuing shouting caused a commotion in the busy courthouse. But business quickly returned to normal after Kawaauhau, breathing heavily, was escorted back to the cellblock.
No one was seriously injured, said Marsha Kitagawa, Judiciary spokeswoman. However, a Wackenhut security officer broke her finger when Kawaauhau threw open the Diamond Head door to the courthouse, flinging her against the wall and knocking her to the ground. She was treated at the scene by ambulance technicians. The security officer was trying to secure the back door to prevent Kawaauhau from coming through. Kawaauhau had also collided with another security officer moments earlier who was just inside the door trying to stop him from exiting.
Yesterday was the second time Kawaauhau had to face the judge to explain why he hadn't been reporting to his probation officer, Beaman said.
Kawaauhau was granted a deferral of his guilty plea in March for punching someone and was ordered to comply with conditions similar to probation for five years. Besides staying out of trouble, he was ordered to see his probation officer as often as required.
While Kawaauhau has a history of crystal methamphetamine use, he has tested clean for drugs for the past couple months, Beaman said.
Prosecutors yesterday said that at a hearing Nov. 7, they plan to ask that Kawaauhau's deferral be revoked based on yesterday's incident.
Kawaauhau will remain in custody until then. He could face additional charges of escape and possibly assault.
