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Kidnap victim crashed his vehicle in Kaneohe to escape, police say

Nelson Daranciang
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COURTESY HPD

An Oahu grand jury returned an indictment Wednesday charging Koalii Young, 22, of Makiki, one of two males accused of abducting the man, with kidnapping, robbery and using a firearm to commit the crimes.

Honolulu police say a man who was kidnapped at gunpoint, bound and thrown into the back of his sport utility vehicle was able to alert them of his situation by grabbing the steering wheel and causing a crash.

An Oahu grand jury returned an indictment Wednesday charging Koalii Young, 22, of Makiki, one of two males accused of abducting the man, with kidnapping, robbery and using a firearm to commit the crimes.

State Circuit Judge Shirley Kawamura increased Young’s bail to $75,000. His bail had been $30,000 following his arrest last Friday.

The other male is a juvenile whose case is being handled in State Family Court.

Police say a 22-year-old Kailua man told them that he picked up a friend and Young and drove them to the pier at Heeia Kea Small Boat Harbor. As he was driving, the man said his friend pointed a handgun at his face, ordered him to get out, threatened to shoot him and took his wallet and watch. He said the friend and Young then bound him with plastic zip ties and shoved him into the back of the SUV.

The man told police Young put a handgun to his face and threatened to kill him after he started screaming.

Deputy Prosecutor Kristen Yamamoto told Kawamura that as the man’s abductors were driving the SUV, the man was able to free his hands and open a rear passenger door but was unable to escape. He then reached into the front seat and yanked on the steering wheel causing the SUV to crash.

When an officer arrived at the crash on Makalani Street in Kaneohe and opened the SUV’s rear hatch, police said the man told the officer, “Help me, I’ve been kidnapped.”

Police said a witness saw two males walk away from the crash and alerted officers of their location. The officers arrested Young and a 16-year-old male on Puali Street.

Correction: An earlier version of this story misidentified Deputy Prosecutor Kristen Yamamoto.
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