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Suspect’s struggle with HPD detailed in court documents

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Honolulu police closed Punahou Street at King Street near Washington Intermediate School and the Tesoro gas staion after arresting a suspect for attempted murder Tuesday afternoon.

A police officer pulled out his gun, but did not fire at a suspect who dragged another officer while attempting to drive away in a stolen car in McCully last week, according to court documents.

The officer, who was dragged about 150 feet, was injured during a struggle for control of the stolen car, as was another officer involved in the arrest of 31-year-old Darryl Higgins of Ewa Beach, according to a police affidavit that details the arrest.

The incident began in the afternoon on March 25, when three plainclothes officers followed Higgins after he was seen speeding on Kalakaua Avenue near Philip Street.

The officers followed Higgins to a Tesoro gas station at Punahou and King streets and ran a license plate check, which showed the silver 1999 Honda had been stolen a day earlier in Kailua, the affidavit said.

When Higgins got out of the vehicle to go to the cashier booth, officers approached the Honda and said: "Police. Get on the ground," according to the affidavit.

Higgins ignored the police commands and jumped into the vehicle. One of the officers attempting to stop Higgins was then pulled into the driver’s side of the car, with his legs hanging out of the vehicle.

Higgins drove the car 150 feet with the officer, who was on top of the suspect, hanging out of the vehicle and fighting for control of the gear shifter.

One of the officers drew his handgun and continued yelling verbal commands at Higgins from the passenger side. Realizing that he was too close to the officer struggling with Higgins, the officer did not fire the gun, the affidavit said.

The stolen Honda accelerated out of the gas station, hitting a curb and narrowly missed a utility pole on Punahou Street. The Honda broadsided a pickup truck and was then hit by a van making a right turn from King Street onto Punahou Street.

Even after the collision, Higgins continued to resist arrest and tried to flee, climbing over a woman passenger in the vehicle, the affidavit said.

The officer who was dragged, suffered multiple contusions on his left arm, shoulder and lower back, the affidavit said.

Higgins’s injuries included bruises to his face and upper body area.

The 27-year-old woman passenger sustained a broken ankle. She was arrested on suspicion of car theft, but was not charged.

A second plainclothes police officer injured his right arm attempting to help drag Higgins out of the car before the suspect sped out of the gas station.

Higgins has been charged with first-degree attempted assault, assault on a law enforcement officer, auto theft and third-degree promotion of dangerous drug and use of drug paraphernalia. His bail is set at $25,000.

Higgins’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday in District Court.

Initially, Higgins was arrested on suspicion of first-degree attempted murder, resisting arrest and auto theft. Prosecutors later reduced the charge of first-degree attempted murder to first-degree attempted assault. 

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