A 37-year-old man is facing robbery, terroristic threatening and other charges after he reportedly tried to steal food from a grocery store Saturday in Pahoa.
Mark Blankley, of Pahoa, allegedly injured four store employees with a shopping cart during the incident and proceeded to cough and spit in their faces while telling them that he had the coronavirus, according to the Hawaii Police Department. Because the incident occurred during the Gov. David Ige’s Emergency Proclamation, the robbery offense was enhanced to a Class A felony.
Blankley was arrested shortly before 3 p.m. for first-degree robbery, first-degree terroristic threatening, fourth-degree theft, failure to have a place to keep ammunition and third-degree promoting a detrimental drug, according to the Hawaii Police Department.
He was later charged with the offense and is being held in lieu of $31,500 bail.