Patrick Masaoka was found not guilty of trying to run down an officer who approached the van at a roadblock.

The officer fired one shot at the van before it sped away and hit the cars and nearly hit a motorcyclist near 'Ainakoa Avenue on Dec. 15, 2005.

If convicted of the attempted first-degree murder charge, Masaoka would have been sentenced to a mandatory life term without parole, the state's harshest sentence.

Masaoka, 28, now faces sentencing on felony charges of driving the stolen van, 13 counts of first-degree criminal property damage and possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. The charges carry maximum prison terms of five and 10 years in prison.

He also was convicted of second-degree reckless endangering the life of the motorcyclist, a misdemeanor.

Masaoka's lawyer, Clifford Hunt, said he was pleased with the verdict. He said the only charge his client contested was the attempted-murder charge. Hunt said his client did not intend to kill the officer.