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WAILUKU -- A Wailuku man was arrested after he allegedly brandished what appeared to be a firearm in a shopping center parking lot and rammed another vehicle in a chase that spilled out into the street.
Albert Koa, 29, was charged with first-degree criminal property damage, first-degree extortion and second-degree terroristic threatening.
Police records show he was arrested in the early-morning hours of Monday, after the crimes were reported Sunday, including in the Queen Ka'ahumanu Center parking lot.
"It really plays out like an action type of movie, although it's not really entertaining," Deputy Prosecutor Byron Fujieda said during Koa's initial appearance Wednesday in Wailuku District Court.
He said the incident included "chases through the street with a vehicle, sideswiping and spinning out cars, pointing a rifle -- albeit a pellet gun -- at the complaining witness."
Fujieda asked that bail remain at $6,000 for Koa.
Although he has limited law enforcement contact in the state, Koa has two felony convictions in 2016 in Washington for rape of a child, a felony offense, Fujieda said.
"We believe he is a danger to the community," Fujieda said.
Koa, who appeared by videoconference from the courthouse cellblock, asked to be released on supervision.
Deputy Public Defender Gustavo Gonzalez said Koa is working and has family here. His prior record includes traffic offenses, Gonzalez said.
In keeping bail at $6,000, Judge Chris Dunn said "the record within the state does not give the court much concern."
"However, the facts of the underlying case do raise serious concerns for the court in terms of the safety, generally speaking, of the community and for the complaining witness in particular," Dunn said.
He said there were allegations of Koa "racing through the parking lot, colliding with the complaining witness' vehicle, pursuing the complaining witness out on the street and ramming that vehicle a couple more times -- one time right in front of the fire station, prompting firefighters to come out."
Koa was ordered to have no contact with the victim.
* Lila Fujimoto can be reached at lfujimoto@mauinews.com.