Man, 87, dead after being found unconscious, bleeding in his driveway in Puna

Hawaii island police have made an arrest in a Puna homicide case after finding an 87-year-old man unconscious in a walker with a seat in his driveway.

Puna patrol officers received a report at around 10 a.m. today about a man on Kawakawa Street in Hawaiian Beaches who was sitting in a wheelchair bleeding from his neck, the Hawaii Police Department reported.

When police arrived they saw that the man, identified as 87-year-old Charles Hacker of Pahoa, was conscious and bleeding from a laceration injury on his neck. He was sitting in a walker with a seat on his driveway.

Hacker was transported to the Hilo Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

An investigation is ongoing, but a 33-year-old man, identified as a neighbor, has been arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder and is currently in custody.

Police are still in the area pending an execution of a search warrant at the Hacker’s residence. An autopsy is scheduled for Friday to determine his exact cause of death.

Police are asking anyone who may have information on this incident, or who may have been on Kawakawa Street this morning between 9-10 a.m., to contact Detective Blaine Morishita of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at 808-961-2385 or email him at Blaine.Morishita@hawaiicounty.gov. They can also email Lt. Rio Amon-Wilkins of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at Rio.Amon-Wilkins@hawaiicounty.gov.

Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the island-wide CrimeStoppers number at 808-961-8300.