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Fugitive in Big Island manhunt is charged with 19 crimes

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HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT

Walter Gomes III has been charged with 19 crimes after he allegedly shot a woman in Kona on March 21.

Hawaii County police charged a 41-year-old Kailua-Kona man, who eluded police for nine days after allegedly shooting a woman in Kona, with 19 crimes, ranging from first-degree assault to probation violation.

Police arrested on Sunday fugitive Walter Gomes III in Captain Cook after an island-wide manhunt.

Gomes was charged with first- and second-degree assault, firearms charges, first-and second-degree reckless endangering, four counts of resisting orders to stop, excessive speeding, two counts of first-degree terroristic threatening, accidents involving damage to vehicle or property, reckless driving, unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, a drug charge and probation violation.

His bail was set at $313,250.

On March 21, a woman showed up at Kona Community Hospital with a gunshot wound. They located him early the next day in Kona but said Gomes refused to comply with officers’ verbal commands and drove his vehicle toward police, striking a police vehicle.

Gomes was able to flee despite three officers firing their weapons at him.

Thanks to tips from the community and other leads, police said they located Gomes in North Kohala later in the same day. They said Gomes again refused to surrender forcing them to close roads and evacuate homes in Hawi during their pursuit.

Police said officers fired rounds into Gomes’ vehicle in two locations in Hawi but that Gomes escaped into some dense brush after crashing his vehicle into the side of a police vehicle.

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