A 50-year-old Hawaiian Paradise Park man admitted to firing a shot at another man’s car and shattering the back windshield while the man was in the vehicle, according to court documents filed by police.
On Friday, Deputy Prosecutor Christopher Schlueter told Hilo District Judge Kanani Laubach that Michael G. Hodgson “pulled back the slide on a black-and-brown .45 caliber automatic pistol, fired and blew out the back windshield” of a car documents state was driven by Melvin Jardine.
The incident reportedly occurred at about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday near the intersection of 40th Avenue and Pikake Street in Orchidland Estates subdivision. Jardine told officers he and Hodgson, an acquaintance were sitting in their cars when Hodgson asked Jardine, “Where’s my stuff?” Jardine said he replied, “Your stuff? Your stuff?” Jardine said Hodgson then reached toward the floorboard of his 1999 Toyota Corolla, produced the firearm and fired, documents state.
Police investigation of the incident closed a portion of 40th Avenue until about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Hodgson, who made his initial court appearance in custody, is charged with attempted first-degree assault, use of a firearm in the commission of a separate felony, carrying a loaded firearm on a public road, illegally carrying a handgun, unregistered firearm, first-degree terroristic threatening, first-degree reckless endangering, heroin possession, driving without a license and two counts of contempt of court.
According to documents, Hodgson admitted to firing the gun into Jardine’s car but told officers he intended to scare Jardine, not kill him. Police said in addition to the shattered windshield, there was “an apparent bullet hole in the rear seat headrest directly behind the driver’s seat” of Jardine’s car and a bullet fragment was recovered from within the vehicle.
A search of Hodgson’s Pikake Street home turned up a camera bag with a loaded black Springfield Armory .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol and about a gram of a brown, tar-like substance that tested positive for heroin, documents state.
“The defendant made certain admissions to firing the firearm. The defendant is considered a danger to the community,” Schlueter told the judge and argued that Hodgson’s bail should be maintained, “given the combination of the level of violence and the jeopardy he placed the victim in, the use of a firearm and the potential of the defendant leaving the jurisdiction.”
Deputy Public Defender Arthur Indiola argued that Hodgson, who has no prior felony convictions, should be granted supervised release or his bail should be reduced.
“He needs to attend to the care of his children,” Indiola said.
Laubach denied the defense request, maintained Hodgson’s bail at $180,030, and ordered him to return to court at 2 p.m. Tuesday for a preliminary hearing.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
