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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, April 20, 2001



H-2 suspects still not charged

Jesse Ani faces a theft probe. Samuel Hao is held on several arrest warrants. Bernadette La'a was arrested after fleeing the scene.

By Yasmin Anwar
Advertiser Staff Writer

The three people arrested following Tuesday's fatal shootout on the H-2 Freeway that left one man dead and two police officers wounded have not been charged with attempted murder, but still were being held last night on other pending criminal charges.

Bernadette La'a, 28, also known as Bernadette O'ili, and Jesse Ani, 28, both of Wai'anae, remained in custody at police headquarters yesterday on suspicion of vehicle theft, according to police. Samuel Hao, 29, also of Wai'anae, was being held on warrants.

Police last night declined to elaborate on the pending charges. They said the investigation is continuing on a charge of first-degree attempted murder in Tuesday's shootout at an H-2 median near Ka Uka Boulevard.

Levi Esperas, 27, La'a's husband, died from a gunshot to the chest when police officers fired at least 10 shots.

Officers Robert Steiner and Aaron Bernal, both 32, were wounded by gunshot blasts fired by Esperas, police said.

Esperas and the three others were in the white van that police said was speeding and weaving on the H-1 in Waipahu Tuesday afternoon, drawing the attention of two officers on motorcycles and a third in an unmarked car.

The van stopped at the top of the cut off to Kamehameha Highway, but started up again when one of the motorcycle officers approached, knocking him down, police said.

The van then sped north and, later, on H-2 between Waipio Gentry and Mililani, got stuck on a concrete medial strip while trying to make a U-turn.

Police said Esperas fired, wounding the two officers with the shotgun pellets. Bernal suffered a bullet graze to the face and Steiner was shot in the hand.

Esperas , who was shot in the chest when officers returned fire, died at Pali Momi Medical Center.

Ani and Hao were arrested and taken to the Pearl City substation. La'a, who fled the shootout scene, was arrested later after being spotted on the freeway shoulder by a passing motorist.

Advertiser staff writer Brandon Masuoka contributed to this report.