Pizza delivery driver
races to his arrest
A pizza delivery driver told police he was making a delivery when they caught him speeding at 70 miles an hour and allegedly racing another driver along Kalanianaole Highway Thursday night.
Police said yesterday that Shaun Peck, 18, and Ross Mukai, also 18, pulled out of the Koko Marina Shopping Center at 11:15 p.m. and sped Ewa-bound, right past a policeman who had made a traffic stop nearby. Police said that even though both drivers saw the officer, they made no attempt to slow down.
"They were full-on, floorboard wailing it when they took off," said Maj. Doug Miller, of the HPD Traffic Division. "This was ... kind of an arrogant action, like in-your-face kind of a thing where they were thinking that the officer was on a traffic stop and perhaps unable to respond quick enough to get them.
"Fortunately, we had another officer who was in the area and immediately gave pursuit of these two vehicles."
The chase ended quickly, with both suspects having to slow down because of traffic ahead of them, police said.
Officers caught up to them at Keahole Street and arrested them for suspicion of racing on the highway.
Peck, a driver for Papa John's Pizza, had the company's display on his Honda Del Sol when he was arrested, and he mentioned to police about "getting the delivery done on time," said Miller.
Police charged both men for racing on the highway, a misdemeanor that has a maximum penalty of a year in jail.
Miller said both officers involved in the arrest were part of HPD's Selective Enforcement Unit, which targets nighttime racers.
"This is part of the effort ... in trying to take a more stern action against racers and making arrests when we can," he said.