HILO >> A 33-year-old Pepeekeo man was charged with drug and firearms offenses after police stopped him in Hilo for a traffic offense. Glen D. Phillips-Panui made his initial court appearance Friday in South Hilo District Court on four firearms charges and third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug. His bail was set at $13,000.

Hawaii County police said that shortly after 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, patrol officers conducting routine checks at Malama Park on Mamaki Street saw a dark-colored sedan with dark-tinted windows begin to leave the parking lot. After stopping the vehicle for a traffic violation, officers spotted a pistol affixed below the steering column and arrested Phillips-Panui.

A search warrant of the car led to the discovery of an unregistered, loaded 9MM pistol and ammunition, approximately 3.4 grams of methamphetamine, a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.