More people sought in truck theft ring

HILO — Hawaii Island police have arrested and charged Eric Wilson Jr. for additional offenses in connection with the incident involving the theft of a County of Hawaii Mass Transit vehicle occurring on Monday.

At 4:40 p.m. Monday afternoon, Wilson was initially taken into custody for unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle after abandoning a stolen Toyota 4Runner he was driving on Enos Road in Mountain View. He and an accomplice ran into nearby bushes, and Wilson was located with the assistance of the department’s tracking dog. A search warrant served on a bag recovered in the area where Wilson was located led to the recovery of a loaded handgun having a magazine that could hold in excess of 10 rounds of ammunition.

Wilson an d the stolen vehicle he was operating were connected to the stolen county vehicle which had earlier been found engulfed in flames in the remote Fern Forest subdivision. The other occupant of the 4Runner has not yet been located.

The county vehicle was taken in the early morning hours on Saturday from the county’s mass transit base yard on East Lanikaula Street. The 2016 Ford F350 utility tool box truck with a lift gate was valued at $70,000. An arson investigation was initiated and remains continuing.

The county vehicle, which was reported to have been driving recklessly throughout the Hilo area over the April 22-23 weekend, was involved in two police pursuits and was responsible for at least two hit and run collisions involving members of the public.

Also at 1:30 p.m. Monday, Puna District officers responded to a report of a vehicle matching the description of the stolen county truck traveling in the Pahoa direction on 29th Avenue within the Hawaiian Paradise Park Subdivision. An occupant in the stolen truck reportedly fired a gunshot out of the window in close proximity to bystanders. No injuries or damages were reported and the investigation later determined that Wilson was the occupant in the stolen county truck that fired the gunshot.

After consulting with prosecutors on Wednesday, Wilson was released pending investigation on his initial arrest for unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle.

Wilson was arrested and charged for additional offenses which include one count each of reckless endangering in the first degree, terroristic threatening in the first degree, place to keep pistol, possession of prohibited weapons (for the ammunition magazine) and carrying/possessing a loaded firearm on a public highway. These offenses are all classified as felonies.

Wilson’s bail for these additional offenses has been set at $16,000. He is currently being held in the Hilo cellblock pending his initial appearance in District Court today.

Detectives with the Area I Criminal Investigations Section are continuing the investigations into the theft of the truck and related events that followed and are asking for the public’s assistance with locating two men and two women who are wanted for questioning in connection with this incident.

Jeremy Rafael Jr. is a 25-year-old Hispanic male who is also wanted for an outstanding bench warrant. He has no permanent address but frequents the Hilo and Puna areas. He is described as being 5-foot-7, 190 pounds, medium build with black hair and brown eyes. He has “Eveliga” tattooed on his left forearm, a tattoo of a skull on his right bicep and a tribal design on his right forearm.

Keanu Krause is a 21-year-old Mt. View man who is also wanted for questioning in connection with an unrelated trespass incident. He is described as being part-Hawaiian, 5-foot-10, 145 pounds, slim build with black hair and brown eyes. He has a tattoo of “Krause” on his right bicep, and “outlawz” on his right rib cage.

Tiani Kapeli-Spencer is a 21-year-old Hawaiian Paradise Park woman who is described as part-Hawaiian, 5-foot-4, 140 pounds, medium build with brown, shoulder-length hair and brown eyes.

Jasmine Saragosa-Taoy is a 23-year-old Hawaiian Paradise Park woman who is described as part-Hawaiian, 5-foot-3, 145 pounds, medium build with black shoulder-length hair and brown eyes.

They may be in the company of each other and should be considered armed and dangerous. The public is being advised not to approach them.

Anyone with information about any of these incidents is asked to call the Police Department’s non-emergency number at (808) 935-3311 or Detective Wendall Carter at (808) 961-2383 or via email at Wendall.Carter@hawaiicounty.gov.

Those who prefer to remain anonymous may call the islandwide Crime Stoppers number at 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.