Comedian sought
for alleged abuseBu La'ia has eluded Maui police
since Thursday's incident
WAILUKU >> Local comedian Shawn Kau'iolani Hill, who as Bu La'ia recorded a CD entitled "Hawaii's Most Wanted," is wanted by Maui police for alleged abuse of a household member.
Hill, 37, allegedly physically abused a household member on Thursday afternoon at Kaiser Permanente's Wailuku Clinic, police said.
Police Capt. George Fontaine said yesterday that Hill left before police arrived at Kaiser. Fontaine said Hill has been seen at several places, and officers are continuing to look for him.
Earlier on Thursday, Hill appeared in Maui Circuit Court to face two counts of first-degree terroristic threatening and first-degree assault against a law enforcement officer.
The charges stem from Hill allegedly trying to stop animal enforcement officers from impounding his dogs on Nov. 18.
Aimee Anderson, the animal control director at the Maui Humane Society, said enforcement officers went to Hill's residence on Hawaiian Homes land in Kula to impound several dogs that were unlicensed and in violation of the leash law.
Hill allegedly threatened animal control officers Gail Yoshimura and Debra Redd and rushed Yoshimura from behind and knocked her to the ground, Anderson said.
Yoshimura suffered a minor wrist injury, Anderson said.
Hill pleaded innocent Thursday morning to charges in the Kula incident and was released after posting a $15,000 bail bond.
He is scheduled to appear Tuesday in Maui Circuit Court for a bail hearing. His trial was scheduled for March 29.
Hill, known for his gap-tooth smile and bushy wig, has used pidgin-style commentary on island life in his comedy routines.
He tried to run for governor in 1994 but was blocked when officials found he was 28, two years under the legal age for candidacy. He tried to run as a Green Party candidate for governor in 1998, but the party, noting he was not a member, rejected his candidacy. Hill received 2,561 votes in the 2002 general election under the Natural Law Party.
During a court hearing Thursday, Hill was wearing a black baseball cap, sunglasses and his hair tied in a bun.
Hill moved from Windward Oahu about four years ago and has worked on Kahoolawe in the Navy cleanup to clear ordnance.