A 32-year-old man has been charged for allegedly shooting a 31-year-old man in Pepeekeo.

Dustin Kapena Bell was charged with second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault and false reporting to law enforcement authorities. He is in custody in lieu of $276,000 bail.

South Hilo patrol officers responded to a report of a male who had been shot and was lying in the bushes on the side of a roadway shortly before 6 a.m. Saturday.

Police said officers located the man, 31, who reported he had been shot several hours earlier by the boyfriend of a female acquaintance. He was taken to Hilo Medical Center where he underwent surgery and remains hospitalized in stable condition.

During the course of an investigation, detectives determined a stolen vehicle case initiated earlier that morning by Bell was related to the shooting case.

Police said Bell reported his vehicle was stolen from his Hilo residence, however, detectives later determined that report to be false.

Bell’s girlfriend was operating the vehicle and parked it at the bottom of Sugar Mill Road. Bell located the vehicle and shot the 31-year-old man who was seated in the passenger seat, police added.

The girlfriend then drove away from the scene and crashed, rendering the vehicle inoperable. Fearing for his life, the 31-year-old man exited the vehicle and hid in bushes as Bell was approaching the scene.

Police said Bell picked up his girlfriend and left. When he returned home, Bell called police dispatch to report his vehicle was stolen.