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Felon, 27, shot by Honolulu police during Kalihi arrest makes court appearance

JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM
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JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM

A 27-year-old felon who police shot and critically wounded in May after he allegedly crashed into vehicles and pointed a handgun at officers who were trying to arrest him for outstanding warrants in Kalihi made his initial appearance in Circuit Court today.

Dion Vincent Kitzmiller appeared at his arraignment before Judge Shirley Kawamura via video conferencing from the Oahu Community Correctional Center on charges of three counts of first-degree criminal property damage, two counts of second-degree criminal property damage, two counts of firearms and one count of second-degree reckless endangering.

Honolulu deputy public defender Doris Lum entered not guilty pleas to the charges on Kitzmiller’s behalf.

Attorney Nelson Goo is representing Kitzmiller, however, Lum stood in for Goo due to trial held at the same time for another defendant Goo is representing in a separate case.

Kawamura scheduled Kitzmiller’s trial for August. He remains in custody at the correctional facility in lieu of $500,000 bail.

During the late night hours of May 25, District 1 Crime Reduction Unit officers located Kitzmiller — who was wanted for two separate outstanding warrants — in a parked Jeep on Hikina Lane with two passengers.

The warrants were for abuse of a family or household member, terroristic threatening and firearm offenses.

When officers ordered him to exit the vehicle, Kitzmiller struck at least three vehicles with the Jeep, police said. When officers again ordered him to get out, Kitzmiller allegedly brandished a handgun and pointed it at officers.

An officer then fired shots, striking him in his upper body. He was taken to the Queen’s Medical Center in critical but stable condition.

The officers and passengers did not sustain any injuries.

He has a criminal record that includes six felony convictions for theft, drugs and robbery, a misdemeanor conviction for terroristic threatening and a petty misdemeanor conviction for drugs.

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