Barricaded fugitive cuts Waikiki access
Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser
Employees and guests of the Ohana Maile Sky Court try to get a glimpse of the 23rd-floor room where a fugitive was barricaded, leading to roadblocks and snarled traffic for nearly eight hours.
By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer
Traffic along the Kalakaua corridor and McCully Street entrance into Waikiki was snarled at midday yesterday because of a standoff between police and a fugitive barricaded in a 23rd-floor hotel room on Kuhio Avenue.
It went on for nearly eight hours before Braze K. Kapeliela, 31, surrendered shortly before 4 p.m. outside his room at the Ohana Maile Sky Court. The hotel is at 2058 Kuhio Ave., across the street from Nick's Fishmarket restaurant.
Kapeliela was arrested on a $30,000 contempt-of-court warrant issued last Friday when he failed to show up for sentencing on a conviction for auto theft. In addition, he was booked on three traffic-related warrants and two counts each of robbery, second-degree criminal property damage and auto theft.
A woman who was in the hotel room with Kapeliela by her own choice was released by police at the scene.
Police prevented eastbound entry into Waikiki from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. by re-routing motorists at the intersection of Ala Moana and Kalakaua Avenue. Drivers were directed onto Pau Street toward the Ala Wai Canal or onto Ala Moana. What caused the slowdown was traffic trying to turn left onto Kalakaua from McCully Street meeting up with vehicles already backed up on Kalakaua.
"When assessing the situation of the viewpoint of the room (where Kapeliela was holed up), the actions taken were based on whatever sight he had from his windows," Capt. Gregory Lefcourt, executive officer of the Waikiki Patrol District, said about the decision to close the Kalakaua Avenue section. "Our concern is for public safety so it's better to err on the side of safety."
When the decision to close Kalakaua was made, police were not sure if Kapeliela had a gun. No firearm was found in a preliminary search of the room after his surrender, police said.
Entry into Waikiki from the Kapahulu end was not affected by any closures.
Braze K. Kapeliela, 31, surrendered to police shortly before 4 p.m.
In addition to the mainstream entry into Waikiki, police closed Kuhio Avenue between Kuamo'o and Kalaimoku streets. Pedestrians were allowed to walk on the makai side of Kuhio Avenue, which would have been out of any potential line of fire from Kapeliela's room on the 'ewa side of the hotel.
Justin Cruz, program director of radio station KQMQ-FM 93.1, which is in a building at Kalakaua and Ala Wai, said Kalakaua Avenue looked like a pedestrian mall until it was reopened.
The confrontation began about 8:30 a.m. yesterday when Wakiki Crime Reduction Unit officers went to the Ohana Maile Sky Court to arrest Kapeliela on the contempt warrant after learning he was hiding out there. Following an exchange of words in the hallway, Kapeliela barricaded himself inside the room, police said.
The Specialized Services Division was called in shortly after 11 a.m., said Maj. Michael Brede Sr. "We set up and negotiators began dialogue by telephone and bullhorn," Brede said. "He did not present a danger (to anyone outside the room) so we were prepared to wait him out unless the situation changed."
Lt. David Kamai, head of the six-member negotiating team that includes a psychologist, said the turning point was convincing Kapeliela he could give himself up without fear of being hurt.
Staff writer James Gonser contributed to this report.
