Posted on: Friday, August 20, 2004

Suspect denies driving car in attack on officer

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

A 20-year-old man has admitted to police that he stole a car that was involved in a shooting incident Tuesday on the North Shore, but told police he was not driving the vehicle when a policeman was nearly run over, according to court documents.

Moani J.K. Thomas of Pauoa was charged yesterday with one count of unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle and was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail. Thomas had been arrested for investigation of attempted murder of a police officer, but was not charged with that.

Thomas was arrested at about 3 p.m. Tuesday along the shoreline in Malaekahana. Police were searching for a motorist in a stolen silver Plymouth Breeze who nearly ran down Officer Bobby Harrison at the entrance to the Turtle Bay resort.

Harrison got out of the way and fired four shots at the fleeing vehicle, striking it at least twice. No one was injured.

Thomas allegedly told police that he used a screwdriver to start the Plymouth and drove it from Waipi'o to Hale'iwa, according to the affidavit of Officer Calvin Sung. But Thomas said another man was driving the car when it fled the Turtle Bay area.

Thomas said he was in the front seat of the car and a woman was in the back seat. No other arrests had been made as of yesterday afternoon.

The car's owner said he noticed his vehicle missing at about 7 a.m. Tuesday. About four hours later, an officer saw the car in Halawa, but was unable to pull it over.

The officer later identified the driver of the stolen car as Thomas, the affidavit states.

Records show that Thomas has had 11 arrests for a variety of misdemeanor and felony offenses, including drug charges, driving without a license, car theft and vehicle break-ins.

Reach Curtis Lum at culum@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8025.