Preliminary hearing set in robbery case

A preliminary hearing has been set for a homeless Hilo man who allegedly entered a car late Thursday night and robbed its sleeping occupant while brandishing a hatchet.

Hilo District Judge Harry Freitas on Friday ordered 39-year-old Jeramy Kamoe Hall to appear at 2 p.m. Monday for a preliminary hearing.

Hall is charged with first-degree robbery, second-degree theft and unauthorized entry to a motor vehicle for the incident, which allegedly took place at about 10:45 p.m. Thursday on Kekuanaoa Street near the Hilo Shopping Center.

According to court documents filed by police, the alleged victim, a 25-year-old Hilo man, told officers he was sleeping in his car when an unknown man entered the vehicle through the passenger side door and took the driver’s Samsung Galaxy S4 cellphone.

The car’s owner told police he woke up and saw the stranger brandishing an “axe” about a foot long with a brown handle. The intruder reportedly said, “What brah, you get money?”

The alleged victim told police he feared he would be hurt if he didn’t comply and threw about $40 on the passenger seat.

The man told police the suspect took the money and ran.

Hall was arrested about an hour later outside Kadota Liquor on Hualalai Street, documents state. Police said there was a hatchet about a foot long with a brown handle at Hall’s feet at the time of his arrest and a search of Hall turned up the phone.

The alleged victim identified Hall as the intruder.

First-degree robbery is a Class A felony punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment. Unauthorized entry to a motor vehicle and second-degree theft are both Class C felonies punishable by up to five years incarceration.

Hall is in custody at Hawaii Community Correctional Center in lieu of $14,000 bail.

Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaii tribune-herald.com.