LIHU‘E — A wanted man who Kaua‘i police said “dropped off the radar” for two months returned Thursday before 5th Circuit Chief Judge Randal Valenciano. Richard Frederick Ryan, 49, of Kilauea, was arrested on Oct. 20 for outstanding warrants on
LIHU‘E — A wanted man who Kaua‘i police said “dropped off the radar” for two months returned Thursday before 5th Circuit Chief Judge Randal Valenciano.
Richard Frederick Ryan, 49, of Kilauea, was arrested on Oct. 20 for outstanding warrants on failure to appear for charges of fourth-degree theft, first-degree terroristic threat and 11 counts of violating terms of his probation.
Deputy Public Attorney Christian Enright filed a motion to dismiss the case on grounds that the state had violated his right to a speedy trial. Ryan was indicted on March 3, 2010, but disappeared in August.
County Deputy Prosecutor Melinda Mendes sought to show that the state could prove the likely whereabouts of Ryan from Aug. 20 to Oct. 20, 2011.
She questioned two witnesses to emphasize that the KPD searched thoroughly for Ryan following the issuance of the warrant and could not find him because he left Kaua‘i.
KPD Officer Roland Peahu Jr. was present to testify as one of two officers on duty Oct. 20, when he said Ryan showed up at the back door of the Hanalei South Precinct station.
According to Peahu, Ryan said he had just returned to Kaua‘i from the Mainland and “asked for a ride to the Hanalei Bay Resort.” Peahu said they knew Ryan was wanted on several warrants and invited him into the station and placed him under arrest.
The next witness, John Burgess, an investigator for the Kaua‘i County Prosecutor, reported on Ryan’s criminal background check from the FBI’s National Crime Information Center.
He also found a sheriff’s arrest report for trespassing on closed lands in San Luis Obispo County, Calif., on Aug. 23.
Using LexisNexis law-enforcement background check, Burgess said Ryan had a place of residence in Los Angeles County.
He said reports were verified by matching Social Security and other privacy data.
Enright questioned some of the evidence as unreliable and hearsay. He also requested a three-panel examination to determine Ryan’s fitness for trial and state of mind during his alleged offense and reported flight from justice.
Valenciano denied the motion for dismissal and set the status hearing on the reports for Dec. 13. The jury trial date is set for Feb. 27.
