Three recaptured Halawa convicts indicted on felony escape charges
By David Waite
Advertiser Courts Writer
Three inmates who were arrested last week after breaking out of Halawa prison April 4 were indicted by an O'ahu grand jury yesterday on felony escape charges.
Albert Batalona 27, Warren Elicker, 25, and David Scribner, 20, were indicted on a charge of second-degree escape, which carries a maximum five-year prison term. Batalona and Scribner also were indicted on second-degree robbery charges for allegedly commandeering a Honda Civic from two men at the Stadium Mall shortly after the breakout and stealing a cellular phone from one of the men.
Second-degree robbery carries a prison term of up to 10 years.
Authorities believe that in the escape from a maximum-security unit at Halawa Correctional Facility, Elicker and Scribner removed a plumbing access panel from one cell wall, then broke through the concrete wall on Batalona's side to gain access to a space between the two cells that allowed them to descend to a basement.
After a massive manhunt, the three escapees were captured within a half-hour of each other at mid-day Thursday in Windward O'ahu.
Police believe that the men were intending to hide in Hau'ula Valley for six months while the vigilance over their escape died down. But with police and other law enforcement officials closing in on them, the three abandoned that idea and were traveling individually when captured.
Batalona had been serving a sentence of life without parole following his conviction on robbery and attempted first-degree murder charges for shooting a semi-automatic assault rifle at a police officer after the armed takeover robbery of American Savings Bank's Kahala Branch in 1999.
Elicker was serving a 40-year sentence for a 2001 home-invasion robbery of a Punalu'u couple and other crimes.
Scribner has seven felony convictions. He was serving a 10-year sentence for October 2002 robbery and escape convictions.
Circuit Judge Victoria Marks set bail at $500,000 for Batalona and $50,000 each for Elicker and Scribner.
In seeking the higher bail for Batalona, city Deputy Prosecutor Jean Ireton described him as a "known ice user" and firearms fancier who had left a note in his cell vowing never to return to prison.
Reach David Waite at dwaite@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8030.
