Posted on: Friday, December 3, 2004

Carjack, robbery suspect indicted

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

An O'ahu grand jury yesterday indicted a 39-year-old man on robbery and kidnapping charges in connection with a carjacking incident Tuesday at the Sam's Club store on Ke'eaumoku Street.

Spencer Y. Kurihara Jr. was charged with first-degree robbery, kidnapping, five counts of first-degree terroristic threatening and second-degree theft. He was being held last night in lieu of $75,000 bail.

Tuesday's incident began at the Sam's Club parking lot when a man fled from the store after he allegedly shoplifted, police said. The man, identified by police as Kurihara, was swinging a knife at people as he ran, according to a police affidavit filed in court yesterday.

The fleeing man forced his way into a pickup truck and held the knife to the neck of the driver, threatening to "hurt you" if the driver didn't flee, the affidavit said. That man complied and drove off, but kept talking to the carjacker in an attempt to calm him down, the affidavit said.

As they drove on Kapi'olani Boulevard near Cooke Street, a police car pulled behind the pickup truck with its lights and siren blaring, the affidavit said. Kurihara shouted at the driver, ordering him to "get me out of here, drive, drive. I will stab you. Hurry up," the affidavit said.

The driver, identified as a federal police officer, turned mauka on Cooke Street and another police car pulled in front of him. Kurihara then ordered the driver to ram the police car, the affidavit said.

With Kurihara's attention on the police, the driver turned off the engine and got out of the truck, according to the affidavit. Kurihara got into the driver's seat and locked the truck's doors, but the driver went to the passenger side and opened the doors, allowing police to pull Kurihara out of the vehicle and arrest him, the affidavit said.

The driver was not injured.

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