Pair nabbed in car theft case

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A man and a woman from Hilo face felony charges after being spotted in Kona in a stolen car, police said.

A man and a woman from Hilo face felony charges after being spotted in Kona in a stolen car, police said.

On Sunday, a 22-year-old Keaau man reported that the sedan he had been driving had been taken while he was at Malama Park in the Panaewa area of Hilo.

At 7:20 a.m. Tuesday, a Kona patrol officer spotted the stolen car on Hale Kapili Street in Kailua-Kona. Two male passengers got out of the car and fled. The driver, 35-year-old Cherise King of Hilo, was arrested.

An officer recognized one of the men as 30-year-old Jeffrey Paul DeCastro Jr. of Hilo.

King was taken to the Kona police cellblock while detectives investigated. Police say 0.9 grams of methamphetamine was found in the car, along with paraphernalia associated with the use of illegal narcotics.

At 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, DeCastro was arrested on Alii Drive in Kona on suspicion of driving a stolen vehicle and taken to the Kona cellblock.

At 8 p.m. Wednesday, detectives charged King with driving without a license, two counts of promoting a dangerous drug and three counts of possessing drug paraphernalia. Her bail was set at $10,500.

DeCastro was charged with driving a stolen vehicle, contempt of court and four counts failure to maintain bail or bond. His bail was set at $24,250.

Both remained at the cellblock until their initial court appearances today.