Updated at 4:03 p.m., Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Suspected Honolulu auto thief's cause of death deferred
Advertiser Staff
The Honolulu Medical Examiner's office today deferred listing cause and manner of death for an auto-theft suspect who died last night after allegedly struggling with police trying to arrest him nearly 12 hours earlier.The ME confirmed the identity of Moses Henry Akana Jr., 38, who died at about 7 p.m. at Straub Hospital & Clinic.
Lab tests have been ordered to help determine cause of death. Homicide investigators have classified the case as an unattended death.
Police called to Tesoro Hawaii's King-Kalakaua gas location near Washington Middle School at about 7:30 a.m. allegedly found Akana asleep in a stolen rental car near a gas pump.
Akana, who weighed about 280 pounds, awoke and allegedly became agitated and combative toward officers, police said.
A struggle ensued and a police officer allegedly applied a choke hold to Akana, who was handcuffed.
According to Honolulu Emergency Services spokesman Bryan Cheplic, the man was in cardiac arrest when taken in critical condition to Straub.
Akana suffered from a heart condition, and police allegedly found methamphetamine and a smoking pipe in the stolen car.
Akana was facing arrest on suspicion of auto theft, third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and possession of drug paraphernalia. He had six prior criminal convictions.
Police Internal Affairs is conducting a separate investigation into police procedures used.
