Driver allegedly swerved into traffic twice to avoid police

Prosecutor says man led officer on a 1.6-mile chase through Kihei

WAILUKU — A driver was arrested after twice swerving into oncoming traffic and passing other vehicles as a police officer tried to stop him for not wearing a seat belt last week, a deputy prosecutor said Tuesday.

Ezra Mahu, 39, was charged with first-degree resisting an order to stop a motor vehicle, second-degree resisting an order to stop a motor vehicle and reckless driving.

Mahu had posted $2,500 bail to be released.

When he didn’t show up for a preliminary hearing Tuesday in Wailuku District Court, Judge Michelle Drewyer issued a $5,000 bench warrant for Mahu’s arrest.

“The facts of this case are horrendous,” she said.

Mahu was traveling north on South Kihei Road at 10:19 a.m. Thursday when solo bike officer James Burkett saw Mahu wasn’t wearing a seat belt and the vehicle didn’t have a front license plate, said Deputy Prosecutor Joanne Hicks.

She said that as soon as the officer activated his lights and siren, the vehicle began swerving into oncoming traffic, crossing two lanes and traveling on the shoulder of the road.

The vehicle cut in front of a large dump truck, which had to stop to avoid a collision before the vehicle, still on the shoulder, passed three other vehicles, Hicks said.

She said Burkett continued following the vehicle as it traveled onto North Kihei Road and went through a red light to turn left onto Maui Veterans Highway. Another vehicle entering the intersection on a green light had to brake so hard that the nose of the vehicle dipped, Hicks said.

She said the officer pulled up to the open driver’s side window of the vehicle.

“He said, ‘Stop your vehicle’ multiple times,” Hicks said.

She said Mahu responded by taking off his hoodie and saying, “Leave me alone.”

Then he swerved left, crossing the officer to head into oncoming traffic, Hicks said. She said Mahu drove over a grassy median when his vehicle “bottomed out” and the engine died, ending the pursuit that covered 1.6 miles.

“This defendant was swerving through traffic not once, but twice across two lanes of traffic in order to get away,” Hicks said. “This is a great danger to our community.”

In addition to being arrested for the pursuit, Mahu was arrested for six contempt-of-court warrants, Hicks said.

She said he is on probation from Hawaii island for thirddegree promotion of a dangerous drug and had been sent to Maui to participate in drug treatment. Mahu hadn’t contacted his probation officer to report his latest arrest, Hicks said.

Deputy Public Defender Heather Wolfenbarger said Mahu had been in jail, where contacting inmates amid COVID procedures “has been hugely difficult.”

Hicks said Mahu also has convictions for two counts of second-degree sexual assault, two counts of first-degree burglary, first-degree terroristic threatening, three counts of contempt of court and four counts of failure to appear.