(BIVN) — A 20-year-old man from Kea‘au has been arrested following a series of incidents beginning with the theft of a vehicle at Kona Airport and ending in a crash in Hilo.
Police say Lasty Jessy was charged after a crash at Kanoelehua Avenue and West Kawailani Street on July 6. The vehicle stolen was a gray Subaru sedan taken without permission from a 57-year-old woman at Kona Airport on July 4. The victim suffered minor injuries after being dragged by the vehicle during the theft.
Early on July 6, officers spotted the stolen vehicle in South Hilo and attempted a traffic stop. The driver fled recklessly before police ended the pursuit for public safety.
Later that morning, Jessy ran a red light and collided with a Toyota SUV. He fled the scene but was detained by a Department of Land and Natural Resources officer until police arrived. Neither driver was seriously injured, but the vehicles were heavily damaged.
Jessy faces charges including:
First-degree robbery
Unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle
First-degree theft
Resisting an order to stop
Operating under the influence
Driving without a valid license
Reckless driving
Inattention to driving
