Posted on: Tuesday, October 8, 2002

Lawyer criticizes police for 130 shots at truck

By Scott Ishikawa
Advertiser Staff Writer

Police fired more than 130 shots at a pickup truck in the course of a gun battle that left one man dead. Bruce Asato • Honolulu Advertiser

A lawyer for the man who was kidnapped and wounded in a deadly Kane'ohe gun battle Friday criticized police yesterday for firing more than 130 shots at a pickup truck when some officers knew he and his 22-month-old son were in the vehicle.

Honolulu police have acknowledged that some plainclothes officers knew a man and young boy were in the truck driven by Arnold Willets, who was shot and killed by police after he fired at them. But the officers who opened fire did not know anyone else was in the truck, police said.

"If plainclothes officers earlier saw an adult male passenger and child in the car, why weren't the uniformed officers giving chase notified?" said attorney David Gierlach, who represents Christopher Edenfield. "One of the bullets nearly hit Chris' spine, and another took out a chunk of his left hand."

Police officials did not comment yesterday on Gierlach's remarks, but Deputy Police Chief Glen Kajiyama said Saturday that the decision to return fire was justified.

Kajiyama said the uniformed officers who opened fire were unaware that plainclothes officers had seen the truck a half hour earlier with a man and child inside with Willets.

"This whole thing transpired in minutes, so officers may have been cutting into each other's radio conversation at the time," Kajiyama said.

Gierlach yesterday also provided a harrowing account detailing how the father and son were kidnapped earlier in the day by a shotgun-toting Willets, a complete stranger who seemed high on drugs. Edenfield pleaded that his son be released, Gierlach said, and later tossed the boy from the burning truck during the gunfight.

Edenfield, 22, was shot three times by police in the neck, thigh and left hand, while his son suffered cuts and bruises, Gierlach said. Both were released Sunday from The Queen's Medical Center and were at the Kahalu'u home of Edenfield's girlfriend yesterday, the lawyer said.

Willets, 36, a felon wanted by police for allegedly violating his parole, died of a gunshot wound to the face, according to the city Medical Examiner's Office yesterday. It would not release any other information pending the outcome of police investigation and any related litigation.

Police said the incident began shortly after noon Friday when the license plate of the 1988 GMC truck driven by Willets into Laenani Neighborhood Park failed to match motor vehicle records. When plainclothes officers tried to question Willets, he rammed an unmarked police car and drove off, police said.

Gierlach related that his client was woken from a nap that afternoon at his girlfriend's family's home in Kahalu'u when Willets came through the backdoor with a shotgun and grabbed the child.

"Chris has never seen this man before in his life; he is not even an acquaintance or a friend of a friend," Gierlach said. "This guy came into Chris' residence with a shotgun, grabbed the child, and mumbled something that the cops weren't going to take him alive."

Gierlach said Willets appeared to be "drugged out and crazy."

At one point, Edenfield begged Willets to let the child free if Edenfield remained his hostage, Gierlach said.

As police pursued the truck, it ran up a grass embankment in front of Kane'ohe District Park along Kahekili Highway, got lodged on a concrete wall and caught fire. While Willets and police exchanged fire, Edenfield "was trying to shield the boy the best he could," his attorney said.

The truck's passenger side was blocked by a chain-link fence, so Edenfield, already wounded twice, reached across Willets' body and tossed the young boy through the driver-side window away from the burning vehicle, Gierlach said.

The child landed on the grass next to the truck, the lawyer said.

"While reaching over to drop the baby from the truck, Chris got shot again," Gierlach said.

"The child was shaken up, and I'm hoping for the best for him," Gierlach said. "The 2-year-old has limited capacity to understand his surroundings, but I believe Chris is going to end up with post-traumatic disorder for this one."

Edenfield was scheduled to appear at a court hearing yesterday regarding a third-degree sex assault charge in which he allegedly touched a girl last week, but the hearing was postponed because of his injuries, Gierlach said. The lawyer said the sex assault charge was unfounded and would be thrown out of court.

Willets' criminal history includes kidnapping, for his role in the 1992 shooting death of 16-year-old Salvador Balanon of Waipahu. He was granted parole in June, but tested positive for methamphetamine Sept. 16 and failed to attend a mandatory Sept. 23 visit with paroling officials, according to Paroling Authority administrator Tommy Johnson. A warrant was issued the next day for his arrest, Johnson said.

Advertiser staff writers Curtis Lum and David Waite contributed to this report. Reach Scott Ishikawa at sishikawa@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8110.