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A 52-year-old homeless Hilo man has been charged with assault and other offenses after he allegedly ran a man down twice with a stolen sports utility vehicle in a parking lot.
Hilo police charged Clifford P. Marler, who has no permanent address, with unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, first-degree assault, first-degree reckless endangering, leaving the scene of an accident involving substantial bodily injury, failure to render aid, promoting a dangerous drug and possessing drug paraphernalia. His bail for those offenses was set at $76,000.
On Feb. 2 at 7:17 p.m. police went to Hilo Medical Center, where it was reported that a 49-year-old Hilo man had been talking to the suspect in the parking lot of a commercial and residential complex on Hualani Street in Hilo. The suspect reportedly had hit the victim two times with an SUV that didn’t belong to him and then fled.
The victim had to be taken to the Queen’s Medical Center, where he remained until Feb. 25.
Marler was charged with two outstanding bench warrants for contempt of court. His bail for the contempt charges was set at $1,750.
When Marler was arrested, police found a syringe loaded with a substance believed to be heroin.
He was held at the Hilo police cellblock while detectives continued the investigation into the incident with the SUV and drug offenses.
