Court documents filed by police describe a violent struggle late Friday morning between a robbery suspect and his would-be victim and identify the officer who shot the alleged thief about a half-hour later.
Hilo Patrol Officer Jayce Carvalho, a five-year veteran of the department, is named in documents as the officer who shot and wounded the suspect, 32-year-old Aina Cachero of Hilo.
Carvalho and fellow Hilo Patrol Officer Bryson Pilor spotted Cachero, the suspect in the attempted vehicle theft by force, shortly before noon Friday at the corner of Mohouli and Kukuau streets, documents state.
After the officers identified themselves, Cachero began to run and removed what appeared to be a black-and-silver handgun from his waistband, according to the documents.
During pursuit, both officers ordered Cachero to drop the weapon, and Carvalho shot Cachero when he didn’t comply “in an attempt to stop the threat posed by Cachero,” the documents state.
Cachero, who sustained a non-life-threatening wound to his upper body, was taken to Hilo Medical Center by ambulance and later released into police custody.
The black-and-silver weapon recovered by police turned out to be an “air soft type handgun and not a functional firearm,” documents state.
Cachero allegedly waived his right to remain silent and admitted to both the violent attempted truck theft and brandishing the air pistol as officers pursued him.
Police on Tuesday released body-camera footage of the incident, but none of the video from two officers’ cameras and a neighborhood surveillance cam included in the release showed the actual shooting.
“Whether this is due to an equipment malfunction, or simply because officers did not activate their cameras in time is part of our administrative investigation,” Chief Benjamin Moszkowicz said in a statement.
“While I am disappointed we cannot share what happened in the seconds leading up to the shooting, I am glad we can provide (bodycam) footage from the officers in the moments immediately following the shots being fired,” Moszkowicz said. “Two officers’ (bodycams) are being shared that portray how the officers cared for and treated the suspect’s injuries seconds after he threatened them with a weapon.”
According to police, the attempted truck theft occurred on the 500 block of Kukuau Street.
A 46-year-old man told officers an individual attempted to steal his Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck as it was idling and the owner was in his shed, documents state.
The truck owner reportedly told officers he heard his truck engine’s revving, and he jumped through the passenger-side windows as the alleged thief backed out of the driveway.
That resulted in a physical altercation, with the suspect allegedly elbowing the truck owner multiple times. The truck owner was able to get the driver’s side door open, which resulted in both men tumbling out of the vehicle. The confrontation continued, although no further physical violence ensued, documents state, and the suspect walked away, allegedly cursing.
The truck owner identified Cachero as the suspect, according to documents.
Cachero was charged with second-degree robbery, attempted first-degree theft, unauthorized control of a stolen vehicle, habitual property crime and two counts of first-degree terroristic threatening.
According to county Prosecutor Kelden Waltjen, Cachero also was charged with criminal offenses for an unrelated incident on Jan. 25 in which a Nissan Altima and a credit card were stolen.
The charges from that incident include first- and fourth-degree theft, unauthorized control of a stolen vehicle, theft of a credit card, third-degree identity theft, fraudulent use of a credit card, unauthorized possession of confidential personal information, and habitual property crime.
The most serious offenses, second-degree robbery and first-degree theft, are Class B felonies that carry a potential 10-year prison term, upon conviction.
At Cachero’s initial court appearance Monday, Hilo District Judge Bruce Larson maintained Cachero’s total bail at $134,000 and ordered him to return today for a preliminary hearing.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.