Wailea man reportedly found sleeping in driver’s seat of stolen vehicle

WAILUKU — Police arrested a man who was found sleeping in the driver’s seat of a stolen vehicle Tuesday night.

Sean Howard, 33, of Wailea was charged with two counts of first-degree unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, second-degree unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, three counts of driving without a license and resisting an order to stop a motor vehicle.

He was arrested after a police officer saw a Nissan Rogue that was spray-painted white and parked on the side of East Waiko and Waiale roads in Waikapu at 10:40 p.m. Tuesday, according to a declaration filed in court to support the charges. Howard was sleeping in the car, which had the key in the ignition, according to the declaration.

The blue 2017 Nissan Rogue was stolen while it was parked on Pulehu Place between April 29 and May 2, according to the declaration.

Howard also faces charges in connection with the thefts of two other vehicles — a white Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck that was stolen April 22 from Alakapa Place in Spreckelsville and a U-Haul 2021 Ford Transit van that he allegedly drove from March 9 to April 17.

During Howard’s initial appearance Thursday in Wailuku District Court, Deputy Prosecutor Karen Droscoski asked for bail to be increased from $1,000 to $3,000 for Howard.

Deputy Public Defender William Pannell asked for bail to be maintained or for Howard to be released on supervision. Howard is working and has four children whose mother recently died, Pannell said.

Judge Michelle Drewyer kept bail at $1,000.