Man accused of trying to run over cops

A routine traffic stop in Kona led to the arrests of three people in two separate cars.

Saturday evening, a Kona patrol officer stopped a car occupied by two women. The officer reportedly saw drug paraphernalia in the car and later recovered a glass smoking pipe and two small plastic bags containing residue of a white powdery substance. Police arrested the 47-year-old female driver, a Kailua-Kona resident, and her passenger, a 37-year-old woman from Pahala, on suspicion of promoting a dangerous drug and possessing drug paraphernalia.

While officers were waiting to transport the women to the Kona cellblock, a man in a Kia sedan reportedly passed them twice and yelled at one of the women. An officer recognized the Kia’s driver as Chito Reno Asuncion, 37, of Pahala who was wanted on three bench warrants. As an officer attempted to stop the Kia, it sped toward two other officers who were standing on the road signaling for him to stop. The officers had to jump out of the way to avoid being hit but were not injured.

Other officers stopped the Kia and arrested Asuncion on the warrants for two counts of contempt of court and one count of failure to appear. His bail on those charges was set at $20,300. He was also arrested on suspicion of reckless endangering. He was taken to the Kona police cellblock while detectives from the Criminal Investigations Section continued the investigation.

On Sunday, police obtained a search warrant for the Kia and allegedly recovered a glass smoking pipe, a small plastic bag with residue of a white powdery substance and brass knuckles.

Also Sunday, the two women from the initial traffic stop were released pending further investigation.

Monday, Asuncion went to court on the bench warrants and then was returned to the Kona cellblock. Monday evening, detectives charged him with two counts of first-degree terroristic threatening, two counts of second-degree reckless endangering, carrying a deadly weapon, resisting an order to stop, driving with an expired license, promoting a dangerous drug and possessing drug paraphernalia. His bail on those offenses was set at $12,000. His initial court appearance on those charges was scheduled for Tuesday.