LIHU‘E — The trial of two men charged with attempted murder and other felonies for their roles in a June 2008 drive-by shooting incident at the Kapa‘a McDonald’s was recently delayed until August, according to court records. Taekyu U, of
LIHU‘E — The trial of two men charged with attempted murder and other felonies for their roles in a June 2008 drive-by shooting incident at the Kapa‘a McDonald’s was recently delayed until August, according to court records.
Taekyu U, of Kapa‘a, pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder, carrying or use of a firearm in commission of a felony, unlawful place to keep ammunition, unlawful place to keep a pistol and possession of a prohibited deadly weapon in September. U, who was 26 at the time of the incident and is alleged to be the passenger and gunman, had his trial delayed multiple times until April 20, when the trial date was again reset, this time for August 3.
Brock Alan Reyes, who was 17 at the time of the incident and alleged to be the driver of the vehicle, a silver-colored Honda sedan according to multiple witnesses, was ordered in August to stand trial as an adult by Family Court Judge Calvin Murashige.
Reyes is charged with the same crimes as is U — reportedly a family member — excluding the possession of a prohibited deadly weapon — a set of metal knuckles found in U’s back pocket when the two were arrested in the vicinity of Lydgate Park minutes after witnesses heard shots and saw a car driving south on Kuhio Highway.
One of the witnesses, 40-year-old Troy Paul Crawford, of Kapa‘a, was found dead at Wailua Falls in January. Crawford had been among the patrons leaving McDonald’s around 11 p.m. on June 27, 2008, when he heard shots, and he testified against U during a preliminary hearing last year. County officials said repeatedly after the death that there was no reason to believe foul play was involved.
Reyes’ case was combined with U’s earlier this year. Both were set to stand trial in April, and both are now set to stand trial together on the same morning in early August. Attorneys for both defendants — Michael J. Green for U and Daniel Hempey for Reyes — will have motions seeking dismissal of the case heard by 5th Circuit Chief Judge Randal Valenciano on June 18, according to court records.
At previous court hearings, U was out on $250,000 bail.
On May 14, the court will hear a motion seeking permission to travel, records show.
For further coverage of the case, see a future edition of The Garden Island.
• Michael Levine, assistant news editor, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or via e-mail at mlevine@kauaipubco.com
