A Hawaii island police investigation of a theft of tires has led to numerous drug charges against a 56-year-old Waikoloa woman and a 37-year-old Waimea man. 

On Monday afternoon, South Kohala police responded to a report that a man had stolen two tires from a tire store on M?malahoa Highway in Waimea and fled in a Jeep Cherokee driven by a woman, according to a Hawaii County Police Department news release.

At 6:50 p.m., an off-duty South Kohala police officer observed the Jeep on Kawaihae Road. On duty officers then stopped the Jeep at the entrance to Spencer Beach Park and were able to see through the window that tires were in the vehicle. 

The driver, Peggy Ann Lasater, and the passenger, Isaac Gaub, were arrested and taken to the Kona police cellblock while detectives from the Area II Criminal Investigations Section continued the investigation. 

Police recovered the Jeep and detectives obtained a warrant to search it. During the search, detectives recovered the stolen tires along with 8.2 grams of a crystalline substance suspected to be methamphetamine, 2.2 grams of a black tar-like substance suspected to be heroin, 4.2 grams of a green leafy substance suspected to be marijuana, 13 gel capsules containing at total of 3.3 grams of a yellow rock-like substance suspected to be cocaine and about 186 assorted unprescribed prescription pills. 

At 4:20 p.m. Wednesday, detectives charged both suspects with second-degree theft, second-degree meth trafficking, four counts of third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, three counts of second-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, two counts of fourth-degree promotion of a harmful drug, five counts of possessing drug paraphernalia and one count each of third-degree promotion of a harmful drug and third-degree promotion of a detrimental drug. Bail was seat at $238,000 each.