Crime Statistics

A Maui man will appear in federal court on Monday for an initial hearing after being arrested on Wednesday for his alleged connection to improvised explosive devices (IEDs) found near Kaʻamana St. in Kula on Aug. 7, 2024. Jess Kiesel Lee, age 43, of Kula, was named in a criminal complaint for allegedly possessing explosives as a felon and damaging property by means of explosives, according to the complaint. Lee’s fingerprint was recovered from tape on one of the IEDs, the complaint alleges.

A Kula man has been arrested in connection with the improvised explosive devices (IEDs) discovered on Aug. 7, 2024, near Kaʻamana Street in Kula. Maui police say Jess Lee, 43, was arrested as a result of a coordinated effort between the MPD and FBI.

Maui police have launched a shooting investigation after the death of a motorist in Waikapū early Monday morning. Police have since identified the victim as Shawn Lewis, 42, of Lahaina. Lewis was reportedly driving along the Honoapiʻilani Highway in Waikapū early Monday morning when he crashed shortly after midnight on Sept. 16, 2024, near Waiolu Place, forcing the closure of the highway for five hours while police conducted an investigation. The cause of death is pending autopsy.

The Maui Police Department is currently conducting an active investigation into a deadly incident overnight that forced the closure of the Honoapiʻilani Highway in Waikapū for five hours.

The Maui Police Department Cold Case Unit requests the public’s assistance in identifying a man who was found deceased in the waters off Kahului Harbor breakwater on Sept. 25, 1996.

A 64-year-old woman was killed in a hit-and-run collision reported in South Maui on Thursday night. A preliminary police investigation reveals that a pedestrian was on the sidewalk when an unknown vehicle executed a short radius right turn out of the parking lot located at 1881 South Kīhei Road; proceeded to drive over the curb and onto the sidewalk when it collided into and drove over the pedestrian.   The operator of the unknown vehicle did not stop or render aid to the pedestrian and fled the scene northbound on South Kīhei Road, police said.

Krystale Kaneakua of Pukalani was sentenced to 10 years in jail on Tuesday by 2nd Circuit Court Judge Peter Cahill for second degree arson in connection with a five acre brush fire along the Maui Veterans Highway two years ago. The sentencing comes following a jury trial and guilty verdict on June 3.

The most recent reported ongoing scam is spoof callers claiming to be a Maui Police Department representative. Spoofing is a technique used to manipulate caller ID information, making it appear as if the call is coming from a legitimate source, such as a government agency, financial institution, or even a known contact, making it highly deceptive.

Maui police released a timeline of activity on Tuesday evening surrounding the recent IED investigation on Maui and the arrest on Saturday of a Kahului man.

Robert Francis Dumaran, age 47, of Kahului, Maui, made his initial appearance in United States District Court today. The complaint and affidavit allege that on July 23, 2024, Maui Police Department officers encountered an improvised explosive device (IED) near Lono Ave. in Kahului. The complaint alleges that Dumaran’s fingerprints were recovered from packing tape used to build the IED.

Maui police issued an update today saying their investigation into the improvised explosive device (IED) incident that occurred in Pukalani on Aug. 8, 2024 remains active. Police said that they are unable to share investigative details at this time because they do not want to compromise the investigation; however, authorities anticipate being able to release information in the near future.

The road has since reopened. Maui Now reached out to police on Sunday regarding details surrounding this incident. Information is forthcoming.

Maui police released information this morning on Friday nightʻs road closures and evacuations in Wailuku. According to police, Wailuku Patrol officers located a stolen vehicle potentially linked to the Pukalani improvised explosive device (IED) incident from the previous night. The incident was reported at approximately 8:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. After a thorough investigation, the vehicle was deemed safe and unrelated to the IED case.

Maui police have reopened all roads in Wailuku as of 11 p.m., after a nearly two hour closure due to a police investigation. The investigation also resulted in the evacuation of multiple streets in the area.

The incident occurred on Old Haleakalā Highway on Aug. 8, 2024 when an IED, which had been placed in a nearby trash receptacle, exploded. The explosion struck a passing vehicle, and the driver was transported to the hospital and released, according to the FBI.

Several devices have been recovered in the Kahului and Pukalani areas.

The Hawai‘i Police Department announced the identification of a suspect via DNA evidence in the 1991 murder of Dana Ireland. Age 23 at the time of her death, Ireland was kidnapped, raped, and murdered in the Kapoho area of Hawai‘i Island on Dec. 24, 1991. She died the next day at the Hilo Medical Center.

At approximately 8:20 a.m., SRT personnel and an MPD Bomb Technician performed an X-ray of the device before rendering the device safe via a water disruption shot.  Upon further investigation, it was determined the contents were more likely an improvised pyrotechnic device rather than an IED.

On Monday, July 22, 2024, Seniola Kafoa Jr., 46, of Lahaina was charged with second degree attempted murder.  Kafoa remains in police custody with bail set at $500,000.

Maui police have launched a second degree murder investigation into the death of a 53-year-old Lahaina man on Saturday in Kāʻanapali.