HPD officer faces
brain impairment

The van driver who allegedly
struck Pomai is held without bail

CORRECTION Thursday, December 30, 2004 » Jeffrey Omai is the undercover Honolulu police officer who suffered severe injuries when hit by a stolen van on Dec. 2. A story on Page A4 Tuesday incorrectly gave his last name as Pomai. The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Editor Frank Bridgewater at 529-4791 or email him at corrections@starbulletin.com.

A Honolulu police officer could have permanent brain damage after being run over during an undercover operation in Kalihi earlier this month, according to a detective.

Daniel Vesper III, the man alleged to have been driving the van when Officer Jeffrey Pomai was hit, was ordered held without bail yesterday.

During a court hearing, the detective handling the attempted-murder investigation testified that Pomai was still in "very critical condition" at the Queen's Medical Center after Vesper allegedly rammed him while driving a stolen van in the Honolulu Community College parking lot on Dec. 2.

"He's still in the ICU (intensive care unit)," said homicide Detective Ted Coons. "He may suffer permanent brain injury."

Coons also testified that police officers escorting Vesper to Queens for treatment after he was arrested overheard him telling a nurse that he had run over a police officer. "F-- the cop, I hope he dies," Coons quoted Vesper as saying.

Vesper's attorney Jeff Hawk said asking for no bail in the case was pointless because he was already being held in lieu of $1 million bail.

Pomai was part of a Crime Reduction Unit team that identified the van being driven by Vesper as the same one involved in an earlier robbery at the University of Hawaii-Manoa campus.