Hawaii County police used an electronic weapon, commonly known as a Taser, in an attempt to subdue a 39-year-old Kailua-Kona man who died Tuesday while in police custody.

Police said Randall Hatori was a passenger in a car when an officer made a traffic stop at a gas station in a shopping center on Palani Road at 12:30 a.m. Tuesday.

The driver, Ernest Ricky Alvarez of Kailua-Kona was arrested on a $10,000 bench warrant for contempt of court.

Hatori, who was wanted on suspicion of assault and violation of temporary restraining orders, fled on foot, police said.

In a news release issued today, police said an “officer pursued Hatori on foot, and a struggle ensued while trying to apprehend him.”

Police were unable to restrain him, so the officer deployed the Taser, police said in the news release. 

Police said he continued to actively resist arrest.

Other officers then arrived on scene and assisted in restraining Hatori, police said. He was placed in handcuffs and became unresponsive, police said.

An autopsy was conducted Wednesday, but the medical examiner has deferred the cause of death pending toxicology and histology results.