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KAILUA-KONA >> A woman who pleaded guilty to a robbery charge after using a hatchet to try to steal a Corvette from a driver on Hawaii island has been sentenced to at least two years in prison.
Trinety Crapser, 26, was sentenced Wednesday to 20 years with the Department of Public Safety, of which at least two will be spent in prison, West Hawaii Today reported Thursday. The woman, formerly of Ocean View, pleaded guilty in June to first-degree robbery as part of a plea deal in connection with the January 2014 incident.
The victim, Trudi Grentz, testified that she had stopped to place signs along the road in Kau when Crapser, wielding a 15-inch hatchet with a 7-inch blade, tried to steal her Corvette. Grentz said she was eventually able to take control of the weapon.
During the struggle over the car, a man from Crapser’s car took a bag from the Corvette that contained Grentz’s wallet, laptop and other items, Grentz testified.
Crapser told doctors and investigators that her co-defendant, Kainoa Kahele-Bishop, had threatened her with a shotgun, causing her to rob Grentz.
In a statement to the court, Crapser said her actions were wrong and that she felt badly for the victim.
“I hurt an innocent woman and I hurt my own family,” she said.
Crapser gave birth to her daughter on Dec. 28. Crapser’s attorney, Wendy Deweese, said, “For the first time she has something to lose.” She asked the judge to delay her sentence until Dec. 28 to allow a full year of breast-feeding.
Judge Ronald Ibarra granted her request, but not without a warning.
“I hope you don’t think you can use your child as a way to avoid the consequences of your actions,” Ibarra said.
Crapser assured him that she never would.
