A 28-year-old fugitive, Junson Heckerz of Ocean View, was arrested Wednesday after a dramatic crime spree that ended in an officer-involved shooting and a crash in the Captain Cook area of Hawaii Island.
The string of incidents began around 8:30 a.m., when a man searching for his stolen car encountered Heckerz in the vehicle. Heckerz reportedly fled in the man’s utility task vehicle (UTV).
At 10:11 a.m., Heckerz allegedly attempted to steal a pickup truck from a nearby home, but ran off when confronted.
Less than two hours later, a trespassing report came in from Anapuka Road, and by 1:15 p.m., police responded to an active burglary in the same area. Officers found Heckerz behind the wheel of the property owner’s Cadillac.
As an officer tried to stop him, Heckerz allegedly reversed rapidly, then accelerated toward the officer, who was able to jump out of the way. The vehicle crashed through a metal gate and hit a parked car.
A second officer standing outside the gate fired two rounds at the vehicle. While Heckerz was not hit, he lost control, crashed into a ditch, and was taken into custody.
Heckerz had been featured on Hawaii Island’s “Most Wanted” list since April.
On Thursday, June 5, he was officially charged with over a dozen offenses, including:
Three outstanding warrants
Three counts of auto theft
Two counts of first-degree theft
Attempted first-degree theft
First-degree burglary
Unauthorized vehicle entry
Reckless endangering
Resisting order to stop
Fourth-degree theft
Criminal property damage
He appeared in Kona District Court, where his original bail of $293,100 was reduced to $5,000.
Police are continuing to investigate and urge anyone with information to call (808) 935-3311 or contact Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300. Tipsters may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.
