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Two Kona drug arrests lead to another


Hawaii County police made a routine traffic stop Saturday that eventually led to the arrest of three suspects in two separate cases.

Two women were stopped at 9 p.m. Saturday in Kona, Hawaii County police said. After drug paraphernalia were seen in the car, police seized a glass smoking pipe and two small plastic bags containing residue of a white powdery substance.

The driver, 47-year-old woman from Kailua-Kona, and her passenger, a 37-year-old woman from Pahala, were arrested on suspicion of promoting a dangerous drug and possessing drug paraphernalia. 

During the arrest, a Kia sedan passed police twice and yelled at one of the women. An officer recognized the Kia’s driver as Chito Reno Asuncion, 37, of Pahala, who was wanted on three outstanding bench warrants. When police tried to stop the Kia, it sped toward two other officers who were standing on the road signaling for him to stop. The officers had to jump out of the way to avoid being hit but were not injured. 

Asuncion was later apprehended on the warrants for two counts of contempt of court and one count of failure to appear. His bail on those charges was set at $20,300. He was also arrested on suspicion of reckless endangering. 

On Sunday, police obtained a search warrant for the Kia and recovered a glass smoking pipe and a small plastic bag with residue of a white powdery substance, as well as brass knuckles. 

Also Sunday, the two women from the initial traffic stop were released pending further investigation. 

On Monday, detectives charged Asuncion with two counts of first-degree terroristic threatening, two counts of second-degree reckless endangering, carrying a deadly weapon, resisting an order to stop, driving with an expired license, promoting a dangerous drug and possessing drug paraphernalia. His bail on those offenses was set at $12,000.

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