A 65-year-old Hawaii island man was charged with shooting a police officer who was responding to a report of an assault Wednesday.
Albert Puu of Hawaiian Beaches was charged Thursday with first-degree attempted murder, first-degree reckless endangering, harassment and several firearm violations. He was being held at the Hilo cellblock with bail set at $515,000 and is scheduled to appear in court Monday.
About 10:20 p.m. Wednesday, officers were approaching Puu’s home on Oio Street when he reportedly fired a single shot, hitting the officer in the thigh, police said. Officers did not return fire. Puu hid in a shed behind his home and was arrested without incident at 7 a.m. Thursday.
The injured officer, a two-year veteran with the Hawaii County Police Department, was listed in good condition.
Woman killed in crash identified
Hawaii island police identified a woman who was killed by a vehicle in Pahoa while standing in the roadway last week as Suzanne Hoverson of Minneapolis, Minn.
According to police, Hoverson, 38, may have been arguing with a male on Highway 130 near Launahele Road Tuesday night when she was hit by a 2006 Ford sedan driven by a 40-year-old Pahoa woman.
The driver was not hurt.
Any witnesses to the incident are asked to call officer Clarence Acob at 961-2329.
Fire at vacant house under investigation
Maui firefighters are investigating a fire that destroyed a 900-square-foot home Saturday in remote Kanaio on the backside of Haleakala. Residents reported the fire near the 18-mile marker of Piilani Highway at about 6 a.m., said Maui Fire Department spokesman Edward Taomoto.
Responding firefighters found the vacant, one-story structure nearly burned to the ground and extinguished the fire at 10:11 a.m. Damage was estimated at $195,000.
