Man in custody after fleeing from police following alleged burglary in Wailuku

A 43-year-old Pukalani man is in police custody following an alleged burglary on Vineyard Street in Wailuku reported Friday morning.  The man allegedly threatened responding officers before fleeing the scene, and is accused of resisting arrest and assaulting police.  

The incident was reported at 5:04 a.m. on July 17, 2026 when officers responded to a report of a burglary in progress at 2080 Vineyard Street.

Police say the suspect allegedly forced entry through an exterior door and was kicking interior doors inside the building.

Upon arrival, officers located the man on the sidewalk outside the building. During the encounter, the suspect allegedly threatened to kill the responding officers, according to police reports.

At approximately 5:24 a.m., the man entered his nearby vehicle, and made a U-turn, driving onto the sidewalk toward the officers before fleeing. The suspect proceeded westbound on Vineyard Street toward North Market Street, “continuing at least as far as Central Avenue at a high rate of speed,” according to department reports.

Approximately one minute later, police say the suspect returned on Vineyard Street at a high rate of speed toward the officers before driving away. The man continued onto High Street, where he lost control of the vehicle and struck a light pole before crashing into the loading area of a building located at the intersection of Main Street and South High Street.

Before officers reached the crash scene, the suspect fled on foot toward Main Street. A witness reported seeing him run in the direction of ʻĪao Valley. Officers subsequently located the man hiding on the Main Street side of the building located at the intersection of Main Street and South High Street.

As officers attempted to take the man into custody, he allegedly assaulted one officer and actively resisted arrest. Responding officers brought the man to the ground, where he continued to resist by kicking at officers, according to department reports. During the struggle, officers deployed a Taser to gain control of the suspect.

Three officers sustained injuries during the incident: one officer was bitten on the wrist, another suffered strained ligaments in a hand, and a third sustained minor abrasions. All injuries were considered non-life-threatening.

The suspect was treated at the scene for injuries sustained during the altercation and remains in police custody pending the continuation of the investigation and the review of applicable charges.

The investigation is ongoing.

Police have not released the identity of the suspect saying mug shots, names, and other identifying details are no longer routinely released by the department because of a 9th Circuit ruling that once online, the information remains public indefinitely, even if charges are dropped or the person is found not guilty. However, police say exceptions exist when public safety or crime prevention justifies the release, such as warning the public about dangerous fugitives.