Gunshots peppered a car on a Waipahu residential street yesterday morning when state sheriff's deputies fired at a suspected drug dealer who drove a car at one of the deputies, officials said.

The suspect was able to drive off and abandoned the car a mile away. Police were looking for Kevin N. Pacheco, 48, last night.

The deputies were not hurt, said James Propotnick, deputy director of the state Department of Public Safety.

A man who lives on Kalukalu Street said he was the only resident outside when the incident began at about 9:30 a.m. The man, who asked to not be named because he fears retribution, said deputies had been canvassing the neighborhood, showing a photo of Pacheco and asking about his whereabouts.

Propotnick said deputies were seeking to serve Pacheco with an eight-count grand-jury drug warrant.

Kevin N. Pacheco:

Sheriff's deputies, trying to serve him with a warrant, fired at a car he was driving when he aimed it toward one of them.

The neighbor said Pacheco had been living in a house on Kalukalu Street with the family of a friend. The neighbor said he would notice cars coming and going from the house at late hours, and people sometimes on the roof of the house acting erratically.

As the neighbor was talking with deputies, they saw Pacheco get into a white Honda Civic, the man said. As deputies approached, Pacheco sped the car at one of the deputies, police said.

The deputies fired at the car, but Pacheco drove off. When the car was found several hours later on Kuhaulua Street, there were at least five bullet holes in it. Police said a witness saw Pacheco get into a white flatbed pickup truck driven by a male.

Propotnick said he did not know whether Pacheco was shot. The neighbor said that it did not appear the sheriffs were trying to hit Pacheco, but were trying to get him to stop the car.

He said the car does not belong to Pacheco.

Pacheco is wanted on charges of methamphetamine trafficking and several counts of promoting dangerous drugs. He was indicted June 2.

His previous criminal record includes convictions on six other charges, mainly misdemeanors, ranging from drunken driving to theft.

Police describe him as 5 feet 6 inches tall and 155 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. People with information on his whereabouts are asked to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME on a cell phone.