Police fatally wound ‘Oma’o man while serving warrant

LIHU‘E — The man shot by police Wednesday night in ‘Oma‘o after resisting arrest has died.

Richard Ernest Louis, 62, of Koloa, was pronounced dead at 12:54 a.m. at Queen’s Hospital shortly after being transported to Honolulu from Wilcox Memorial Hospital just before midnight. An autopsy will be conducted by the Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office.

The shooting incident occurred during a multi-agency Hawai‘i Fugitive Task Force sweep throughout Kaua’i over a period of three days. The operation, which began on Monday, resulted in the service of 47 warrants, 31 arrests on 249 charges, and one death.

The task force served Louis, also known as “Dickie,” a single $310,000 warrant at around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday. He did not have the sentencing date set after missing the last day of his 5th Circuit criminal trial and guilty verdict in December.

Kaua’i police and members of the Hawai’i Fugitive Task Force went to Louis’ home on Pune‘e Road, where he reportedly barricaded himself with an adult female. Officers and crisis negotiators succeeded in getting the woman to safety at 5:45 p.m.

Louis was then observed on the roof in an aggressive and agitated state at about 6:45 p.m., according to police. After ignoring commands to surrender, an officer reportedly fired his weapon when Louis allegedly threatened to kill him with a metal object.

Acting Police Chief Michael Contrades said in an official statement that public safety is the highest priority and a full investigation is underway to include outside agencies to ensure an expeditious and fair review. Based on current information Contrades said it appears that the officers acted appropriately.

Police would not confirm the number of rounds fired, but a neighbor reported hearing six to seven shots and one round hit his house. Another neighbor told him of a loud argument earlier in the day and that it led to a large police response. The neighbor reported seeing approximately 20 officers surrounding the house around dusk. Some were in uniform, some in plain clothes  and some in camouflage.

The neighbor said police provided information that the suspect was resisting arrest. Louis did not have gun, according to the source, but he was shot after he attempted to attack an officer.

The police say there are no other injuries reported. The neighbor believes there was a second injury that was not yet announced.

There were two ambulances in the driveway, according to the neighbor. One sped away initially with sirens and lights on. The second carried away a man several minutes later after CPR was performed on a gurney.

The neighbor said he did not know Louis, but he believed he had been suffering from depression since the death of his wife.

Louis has 32 prior arrests, according to police.

Stress was apparent on Louis in December during his trial on guns and weapons charges . After four years of continuances and testimony from 20 witnesses during a five-day trial, he missed one day for medical reasons. He was again absent for closing arguments and the jury announcement. That’s when Judge Randal Valenciano issued the warrant police attempted to serve Wednesday.

The trail stems from the arrest of Louis and two other men on July 28, 2007. An anonymous caller reportedly notified the state Department of Land and Natural Resources that chainsaws could be heard in the evening at Koke‘e State Park. DLNR agents arrived and said Louis and two others were discovered in an area not far from their cabin near a freshly cut koa tree worth approximately $2,000, according to testimony.

A search warrant of Louis’ pickup truck led to the discovery of two rifles, ammunition and a shaving kit containing 23 grams of crystal methamphetamine, marijuana, paraphernalia and $3,541 in cash.

County deputy prosecuting attorney John Murphy told the jury that Louis and the two co-defendants were caught red handed, and that the evidence was clear from testimony that Louis was guilty.

In 2008, Louis was charged with second-degree theft, five counts of firearms violations, second-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, third-degree promotion of a detrimental drug and illegal use of drug paraphernalia.

The case has been held up, in part, because of attempts to consolidate the three co-defendants’ cases into one. As this effort fell apart, Louis refused a plea deal and chose to go to trial. He was found fit to proceed to trial based after a three-panel examination.

The co-defendants have already concluded their cases. Both were called to testify in Louis’ trial.

Defendant Dominic Warren Vidinha, 40, of Lawa‘i, pleaded guilty in consolidated cases of third-degree theft and unlawful use or possession of drug paraphernalia. He was sentenced to five years probation on Nov. 19, 2009, and is currently in drug court.

Louis’ son, defendant Kevin Louis, 36, of Koloa, had a jury trial in February and was found guilty of second-degree theft and not-guilty of four firearms and two drug charges. He was sentenced in June to five years at Halawa Correctional Center.

Valenciano dismissed a charge of carrying a pistol in a bag with the drugs after police testimony showed that the weapon was not functional.

This is the third Kaua‘i Police-involved shooting since 2005. On Dec. 2, 2011, a police officer shot and killed 21-year-old Shendon Chandler-Taniguchi, after he stabbed three neighbors, killing a 68-year-old woman and wounding the others, including his own grandfather.

On Oct. 5, 2005, police shot and wounded an armed Waimea man who reportedly rammed his vehicle in to a squad car and threatened KPD officers near headquarters.

“Our officers are tasked with making split-second decisions to protect the public and themselves,” Contrades said. “Almost all of these encounters end peacefully. Sadly, some do not. My condolences go out to those who are now dealing with the loss of their loved one.

• Tom LaVenture, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or tlaventure@thegardenisland.com.