Man charged in robbery of Hawaii island taxicab driver

Hawaii County police Friday charged 31-year-old Bernard K. Antoque, who was wanted  in connection with the robbery of a taxicab driver in Hilo.

Antoque, who has no permanent address, was arrested Thursday evening on suspicion of robbery and held at the Hilo police cellblock while detectives from the Area I Criminal Investigations Section continued the investigation.

After conferring with prosecutors today, detectives charged him with first-degree terroristic threatening, third-degree theft and fourth-degree theft. His bail was set at $37,000. He remains at the cellblock pending his initial court appearance on Monday.

At 10:07 a.m. April 6, police received a report from a 59-year-old taxi driver that after he picked up a fare in the Banyan Drive area, he transported him to the Mountain View area in Puna and the fare claimed he did not have money to pay for the ride and asked to be taken to another location. After the driver refused, the fare assaulted and threatened the driver and took the driver’s bag containing cash. The driver forced the fare out of the cab and drove to Keeau to report the robbery to police.

The victim was initially treated by Hawaiʻi Fire Department medics. He was later treated at Hilo Medical Center for minor injuries and released.