Posted on: Wednesday, August 18, 2004
Woman charged with aiding prison escapee
Advertiser Staff
PEPE'EKEO, Hawai'i — Big Island police yesterday charged a 30-year-old woman with helping an escapee from the Kulani Correctional Facility.
Reed, a convicted sex offender, was reported missing from the minimum-security Kulani facility on Aug. 1 and was last reported seen in Pepe'ekeo at 11 p.m. Monday. Police believe he's been hitchhiking.
Police seized a 1991 blue Pontiac Bonneville that they said was used to transport Reed from Kalapana, where he was seen last week, to Pepe'ekeo.
Anyone with information on Reed's whereabouts should call 911 or detective Richard Sherlock at (808) 961-2379. Anonymous tips may be called in to Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300 in Hilo or (808) 329-8181 in Kona.
Brandi Coughlin of Pepe'ekeo was charged with first-degree hindering of prosecution and was being held in lieu of $2,000 bail. Police said she drove Joshua Abraham James Reed, 29, from the Kalapana area of Puna to Pepe'ekeo, where he hid from police, and that she gave him food.
Brandi Coughlin
The fugitive, who also uses the name Eric Victor, reportedly dyed his hair red and is clean-shaven. He was last seen wearing blue shorts and a red T-shirt and was barefoot. Reed is Caucasian, 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighs about 165 pounds and has green eyes.
Joshua Reed
