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Kailua-Kona man, 38, charged after crime rampage on Big Isle

Hawaii County police charged Thursday a 38-year-old Kailua-Kona man, who apparently went on a crime spree across Hawaii island.

Police arrested Joshua Hams Wednesday after a crime rampage where he allegedly stole two vehicles, robbed a gas station at gunpoint and fired a gunshot at a retail establishment.

Police say Hams was involved in multiple crimes spanning four police districts.

Detectives charged Ham Thursday with the following crimes: Unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle; first-degree criminal property damage; seven counts of second-degree criminal property damage; third-degree criminal property damage; two counts of fourth-degree theft; first-degree attempted robbery; three counts of first-degree terroristic threatening; three counts of second-degree terroristic threatening; three counts of second-degree reckless endangering; probation violation; second-degree unauthorized entry into a dwelling; reckless driving; resisting an order to stop a motor vehicle; accident involving property damage.

Hams is being held without bail on the probation violation charge.

Bail was set at $812,000 on the remaining charges.

Hams is scheduled to make his initial appearance Friday in Kona District Court.

Patrol officers responded to a report of a man described to be possibly mentally unstable at a Hilo hotel on Banyan Drive just before 8:20 a.m. Wednesday. The caller reported he was possibly armed with a firearm, a police news release said.

Police spotted him driving a dark-colored Honda SUV in the area. When ordered to stop, he reportedly refused and took off.

Police said the perpetrator then collided with a Toyota pickup truck at an intersection in Hilo as he evaded officers.

At about 10:50 a.m., Kau patrol officers responded to a call of a shirtless man with numerous tattoos walking on the side of the road and carrying a firearm near the Naalehu Police Station.

His description matched that of the Hilo suspect.

Soon afterward, officers received a report of a truck stolen from the state highways baseyard in Kau. Police located the Honda SUV involved in the Hilo crash at the baseyard.

At about 11:25 a.m., the stolen truck driven by the suspect reportedly sideswiped a Ford sedan and pointed a gun at the driver before fleeing north before fleeing north on the highway.

About 10 minutes later, the same man purportedly robbed a gas station at gunpoint near the 110-mile marker on Route 11 and drove off with an undisclosed amount of cash.

Police spotted the stolen state truck in the in Kailua-Kona at about noon where the suspect fired a gun from the truck window.

He headed to a retail establishment where he shot a gun into the locked front glass door to gain entry. Police said he took several items and fled.

He then reportedly struck several vehicles at the intersection of Kuakini Highway and Hualalai Road.

Shortly before 12:30 p.m., Hams allegedly pointed a gun at a woman at a gas station in an attempt to carjack her vehicle and failed.

He next allegedly carjacked an SUV from another woman at the same gas station and fled to a Kalamauka Road home where he barricaded himself.

A Hawaii Police Special Response Team arrived and arrested Hams just before 1:40 p.m.

No injuries were reported during the suspect’s crime spree.

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