‘The Flash’ actor pleads no contest, fined $500

Photo by Tim Wright. A clean-shaven Ezra Miller appeared remotely before Judge Kanani Laubach and pleaded no contest to disorderly conduct for his arrest from last month.
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Hours after Ezra Miller was arrested early Tuesday morning for an alleged chair throwing incident that injured a woman in Puna, the actor was fined $500 for a disorderly conduct charge from an incident in a Hilo bar last month.

In return for Miller’s no contest plea, Hilo District Judge Kanani Laubach dismissed a charge of harassment from the same incident and a charge of obstructing a public sidewalk in a separate incident.

Miller’s court appearance was originally scheduled for April 26, but the 29-year-old actor known for playing The Flash in “Justice League” movies appeared clean-shaven via Zoom on Tuesday. It was a marked difference in the several days of facial hair growth Miller sported in the police mugshot taken just hours before.

The obstructing charge was from a citation by police on March 19 for blocking a sidewalk at the corner of Kamehameha Avenue and Shipman Street in downtown Hilo.

On March 27, Miller was arrested after causing a disturbance during karaoke night at Margarita Village, a Keaukaha bar on Silva Street near the Port of Hilo.

According to police, Miller became agitated and shouted obscenities when bar patrons sang “Shallow,” a song by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper from “A Star is Born.” The reportedly ripped a microphone out of a 23-year-old woman’s hand and later lunged at a 32-year-old man who was playing darts.

The fine was the same amount of money he posted for bail on March 27.

At 1:44 a.m., according to police, Miller was taken into custody after being seen on the roadway during a traffic stop at the intersection of Highway 130 and Kukula Street in Keaau.

Miller’s Tuesday arrest came shortly after an alleged incident at a Leilani Estates subdivision home in Pahoa. The actor, who identifies as “they/them” had been sought by police after it was reported he was angered after being asked to leave the home and allegedly threw a chair, striking a 26-year-old woman on the forehead, resulting in an approximate half-inch cut.

The woman refused treatment for her injury.

According to a police log, Miller, whose hometown of record is Stamford, Vt., was booked on suspicion of second-degree assault and released at 4:05 a.m. without being charged, pending further investigation.

Second-degree assault is a Class C felony that carries a potential five-year prison sentence, upon conviction.

“For a second-degree assault charge, the victim would have to have substantial injury, or it would have to be determined that the chair that was used is a dangerous weapon,” said County Prosecutor Kelden Waltjen.

Police describe the Pahoa incident as “an active investigation.”

In addition, a Hilo couple, Stoyan Kojouharov and Niegel Hayles, also filed a petition for a temporary restraining order on March 29. They alleged Miller broke into their bedroom, threatened to “bury” the two of them, and stole several personal items, including Kojouharov’s wallet and Hayles’ passport.

The TRO petition was later dismissed upon the petitioners’ request. Court documents don’t specify if there was a monetary settlement to the couple’s claim, or if the items they alleged were stolen from them were returned.

Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.