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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, November 26, 2009

Man shot by police charged


By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Gerald F. Galon

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A 29-year-old man who was shot by police as he fled in a car Sunday in Kaka'ako was charged yesterday.

Gerald F. Galon Jr. was charged with one count each of second-degree assault, first-degree assault on a law enforcement officer, unauthorized possession of confidential personal information, third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and possession of drug paraphernalia. His bail was set at $250,000, and he is scheduled to make his initial appearance in Ho- nolulu District Court tomorrow.

Galon initially was arrested on a charge of first-degree attempted murder because he allegedly tried to kill a police officer. But that charge was reduced to two Class C felonies, which carry maximum prison terms of five years.

If Galon had been convicted of first-degree attempted murder, he would have faced a mandatory prison term of life without the possibility of parole, which is the state's harshest penalty. A spokesman with the city prosecutor's office would only say that the charges were "appropriate based on the evidence."

Galon is accused of fleeing in a Honda Civic and dragging a police officer several feet on Cooke Street near Kapi'olani Boulevard Sunday morning. Another officer fired three shots at the vehicle, striking Galon.

Police responded to an anonymous call that a car was parked on Cooke Street with its engine and lights on and that a man was asleep in the vehicle. The first officer arrived at the scene at about 11:20 a.m. and said he reached into the silver Honda and turned the ignition off, according to a police affidavit filed in court.

The officer then woke the man, identified by police as Galon, and asked for his driver's license and car registration information. Police said Galon began to search under the seats, and into his sweater and crotch area.

As Galon reached into his sweater, the officer feared that Galon was reaching for a weapon and he ordered Galon to put his hands on the car's steering wheel, the affidavit said. Galon responded, "What, officer, you scared?" according to the affidavit.

Galon then lifted his sweater and told the officer that his identification was in a fanny pack. Galon gave the officer an ID card, which had the name of another man, the affidavit said.

As the officer walked to the rear of the Honda, a second officer, identified in the affidavit as Sgt. Hilarion Oliva, approached Galon and began to question him. When Galon was unable to answer the questions, Oliva asked for the car keys but Galon instead started the car and sped away, dragging Oliva a few feet, the affidavit said.

At that point, a third officer fired three shots at the fleeing vehicle, but Galon refused to stop and got away, police said. The Honda was found abandoned with its engine on at about noon on Lanakila Street near North School Street.

A witness told police that a man appeared to be hiding near a stairwell at 917 Io Lane and that the man ran into a white Honda, which sped off. Officers later found a blood-stained sweater in the stairwell.

Shortly before 1 p.m., Galon was dropped off at the Kapi'olani Medical Center at Pali Momi. He was later transferred to The Queen's Medical Center for treatment and arrested immediately after he was discharged Monday morning.

Galon has no record on file with the state's Criminal Justice Data Center. But his driving abstract does show that he has been cited 10 times since December 2006 for driving without a valid license.