Man accused of reckless South Maui chase in stolen truck
WAILUKU — A 24-year-old man was ordered to stay away from Makena State Park or Big Beach after he was charged with fleeing from officers in South Maui while driving a stolen pickup truck that had a stolen motorcycle in its bed.
Tyler Bond, who has no local address, was arrested Monday in Kihei on charges stemming from incidents in July.
He allegedly drove the stolen pickup recklessly, swerving into traffic, nearly hitting other vehicles and running a red light before abandoning the vehicle on Mokulele Highway the evening of July 19, said Deputy Prosecutor Jeffery Temas.
During Bond’s arraignment Tuesday in 2nd Circuit Court, he pleaded not guilty to unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, habitual property crime, second-degree theft, third-degree promoting a dangerous drug, second-degree resisting an order to stop a motor vehicle, reckless driving, operating a vehicle after his driver’s license was revoked for intoxicated driving and possessing drug paraphernalia.
The silver 1989 Toyota truck was reported stolen July 16 from a residence on Keonekai Road in Kihei.
Three days later, shortly after 6 p.m., a police officer noticed the pickup truck with its tailgate down and a motorcycle in its bed on Wailea Alanui Road, Temas said. After checking with police dispatch, police learned the blue 2007 Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle in the truck bed had just been reported stolen from the first entrance at Big Beach, Temas said.
As police tried to stop the pickup truck, Bond allegedly “went on a high-speed chase trying to avoid police,” Temas said.
Police reported tires screeching, the truck speeding around a turn and the driver slamming on the brakes. The truck reportedly nearly hit other vehicles, swerved into traffic and created smoke. The pickup ran a red light at Piilani Highway and Mapu Drive in Kihei, police said, and was driven on the shoulder of the road.
Police stopped pursuing the vehicle before it was found abandoned on Mokulele Highway with a methamphetamine pipe inside, according to police. The pickup had different license plates and its color had been changed, but police determined it was the one that had been stolen after checking its vehicle identification number.
A police officer recognized the driver as Bond, who had been seen loading the motorcycle into the truck bed with others at Big Beach, according to police.
In asking that Bond be ordered to stay away from Big Beach, Temas said that might help the defendant “avoid temptation.”
Judge Peter Cahill granted the request and also ordered Bond to stay away from the Kihei residence that the pickup was stolen from.
A Jan. 16 trial was set for Bond, who was being held in lieu of $23,000 bail pending a bail hearing next week.
If convicted of unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, Bond could face mandatory minimum sentencing based on his conviction for second-degree theft in April 2016, according to the complaint against him. He also has convictions for third-degree theft and two counts of fourth-degree theft, according to court records.
In another pending case, Bond is charged with first-degree unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle, third-degree theft, fourth-degree criminal property damage, possession of burglar’s tools, third-degree promoting a dangerous drug, possessing drug paraphernalia, third-degree promoting a detrimental drug and driving without a license for April offenses. As part of that case, Bond was ordered to stay away from the Lahaina Pali Trailhead in Maalaea, the Jewish Congregation of Maui Synagogue in Kihei and Ahihi-Kinau Bay.
He had posted $20,000 bail to be released in that case.
n Lila Fujimoto can be reached at lfujimoto@mauinews.com.