Posted on: Thursday, January 9, 2003

Police find car used in crimes

By Scott Ishikawa
Advertiser Staff Writer

Police yesterday morning found the car that they say rammed a police cruiser and nearly ran over an officer Saturday in Waikiki.

Officers investigating an unrelated robbery case found the silver Mercedes unoccupied and parked along Harding Avenue in Kaimuki.

Det. Letha DeCaires said the car, which has damage to its rear, had been recovered and processed by investigators and has been positively identified as the car in the Saturday incident.

The Mercedes had been reported stolen Dec. 24, police said.

At 1:45 p.m. Saturday, police saw a silver Mercedes-Benz sedan make an illegal turn and drive in the wrong direction on Ka'iulani Avenue. An officer followed the car until it stopped at Cleghorn Street, where the officer got out of his car and approached the driver.

The driver sped in reverse and hit a second marked police vehicle at Cleghorn and Kapili streets, police said. The officer in the car suffered neck injuries.

The driver then drove toward the officer who was on foot, forcing him to dive to the side of the road to avoid being hit, police said. That officer sustained cuts and bruises.

The driver is still at large, police said. He is described as in his 30s, with a slender build, short black hair, clean shaven, wearing a blue polo shirt, blue dress pants and wide-brim straw hat.

Anyone with information about this case may contact Detective Larry Lawson at 529-3088 or report it anonymously to CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or by dialing *CRIME on a cellular telephone.