Wailuku man dies after being Tased by Maui police

An incident involving a Maui Police Department officer resulted in the use of a Taser and the subsequent death of Televise Sau, 53, of Wailuku, according to department reports.

Police reportedly received a report of a stolen Ford F-150 pickup truck from the Kahului area on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. The following day, on Thursday, April 11, at around 6:59 a.m. the vehicle was observed in the Haʻikū area

At approximately 7:18 a.m., an officer located the stolen vehicle at a Kahiapo Place residence, with the driver still within. Police say the officer ordered the driver to exit the vehicle; however, the driver ignored the commands and accelerated towards the driveway. According to department reports, the driver then exited the vehicle and fled on foot, running towards what was believed to be an occupied and uninvolved residence, with the officer in pursuit. “The officer used less-lethal force, by announcing commands and deploying his Taser, only when the driver failed to comply with the officer’s commands,” according to a department news release.

Medical assistance was immediately requested, and the officer placed the driver, who was not handcuffed, into a recovery position while waiting for the arrival of medical personnel, according to police. The driver was then taken to the Maui Memorial Medical Center for further treatment. Police say Sau died on Thursday, April 18, 2024, one week following the Taser incident.

“The Maui Police Department takes incidents involving the use of force very seriously. In accordance with department policy, an internal investigation into the incident has been initiated and the officer involved has been placed on administrative leave,” the release stated.

The department extended condolences to Sau’s family and loved ones. 

Police have since released body-worn camera footage of the incident. Disclaimer/Warning: footage is graphic.

In the released real-time footage, a uniformed officer is shown exiting his marked patrol vehicle on a road fronting a residence with the stolen vehicle in his line of sight.

The officer approaches the stolen vehicle in the driveway while drawing his firearm and ordering the driver to stop in an effort to take the driver into custody.

The officer continues to approach the vehicle while giving commands to stop, but the driver proceeds to accelerate towards the residence; the officer then holsters his firearm and gives chase while repeating commands to stop as he draws his Taser.

The officer then deployed his Taser, making contact with the driver from behind, then immediately requests Central Dispatch to send medical assistance to his location. Upon approach, the footage depicts a spray can on the ground under the driver, near his head. 

The investigation is ongoing. The case is currently classified as an unattended death.