Bail was maintained and a preliminary hearing set Monday for two Kailua-Kona men accused of a host of crimes associated with a Dec. 27 home invasion in South Kona.
Jerome Kahoalii-Heath, 23, and Ioane Asagra, 27, made their initial appearances Monday in Kona District Court before Judge Cynthia Tai. During the hearing, counsel for each defendant requested bail be reduced to the objection of the state. Tai maintained bail at $500,000 for Asagra and $468,000 for Kahoalii-Heath.
A preliminary hearing, during which prosecutor’s will work to show they have probable case to support the charges filed against Kahoalii-Heath and Asagra, was set for today.
Kahoalii-Heath is facing 21 charges, including first-degree burglary, first-degree robbery, five counts first-degree terroristic threatening, two counts unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, two counts ownership prohibited, first-degree resisting an order to stop, driving without a license, second-degree reckless endangering, two counts of accident involving property, one count of accident involving injury, place to keep firearm, first-degree theft, and habitual property crimes.
Asagra is charged with four counts first-degree terroristic threatening, first-degree burglary, three counts second-degree assault, first-degree robbery, ownership prohibited, third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, third-degree promotion of a detrimental drug, drug paraphernalia, accomplice to second-degree reckless endangering
The charges stem from a reported home invasion that took place Dec. 27 at a South Kona home. According to police, Kahoalii-Heath and Asagra allegedly entered the home, demanded drugs and money, and struck three witnesses in the head with a weapon before fleeing in a Honda sedan. The victims were treated on site for their injuries.
On Wednesday, officers caught up with Kahoalii-Heath and Asagra, along with a 20-year-old woman, within a stolen Jeep Cherokee in the Kona Palisades subdivision. Officers also discovered the suspects left a silver-colored Honda Civic at the scene with an AR-15 rifle lying on the front passenger seat.
The Jeep fled the area and was later located on Kupuna Street in Kailua-Kona where Kahoalii-Heath and Mills-Lorenzo were taken into custody without incident. Asagra was later located by officers on Highway 180, where he was taken into custody without incident.
Police said four stolen vehicles were recovered and returned to their rightful owners following the investigation. In addition, stolen firearms, ammunition, and illicit narcotics were also located.
Kahoalii-Heath and Asagra were also each charged with violation of probation and violation of supervised release stemming from unrelated prior cases. The woman was not charged and was released pending further investigation.
Anyone with information about the case should contact Detective Donovan Kohara via email to donovan.kohara@hawaiicounty.gov or by calling (808) 326-4646, ext. 238. Members of the community can also contact police at the nonemergency number at (808) 935-3311.