Hearing set for Mountain View man

A 30-year-old Mountain View man faces numerous felony drug- and firearms-related charges after Hilo patrol officers found him slumped over the wheel of his car on a road shoulder early Saturday night.

Daniel Keith Kia‘i Tavares was wanted on a bench warrant when police found his Toyota Camry on Akolea Road in Hilo’s Kaumana neighborhood at about 6 p.m., according to court documents filed by police.

The windows of the Camry had a illegal amount of tint, according to police, and officers looking through the front windshield noted what appeared to be the stock of a pistol and a magazine well next to Tavares.

Tavares was arrested without incident on the bench warrant, and his car was towed back to the Hilo police station. A search warrant was later obtained for the sedan.

Police allegedly found two Polymer80-framed pistols — one a 9mm and the other a .40 caliber — both unregistered and bearing no serial numbers.

The 9mm pistol was loaded, according to police.

Also allegedly found were about 12 ounces of methamphetamine and almost a half-ounce of marijuana.

Tavares was charged with attempted first-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, first- and second-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, carrying a firearm in the commission of a separate felony, carrying a loaded firearm on a public roadway, two counts of possessing a ghost gun, and six other firearms-related offenses.

Three of the charges — first-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, attempted first-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and carrying a firearm in the commission of a separate felony — are all Class A felony offenses that carry a potential 20-year prison term.

According to court-documents, Tavares has five prior felony convictions, all for drug-related offenses.

At Tavares’ initial court appearance Tuesday, Hilo Circuit Judge Jeffrey Hawk maintained Tavares’ bail at $347,000 and ordered him to appear Thursday for a preliminary hearing.

Tavares remains in custody at Hawaii Community Correctional Center.