LIHU‘E — A suspect charged in a gas station robbery was denied a reduction of bail Wednesday in 5th Circuit Court. Judge Kathleen N. A. Watanabe denied a motion to reduce bail for Kalai Hans Vicente, 18, of Kapa‘a, who
LIHU‘E — A suspect charged in a gas station robbery was denied a reduction of bail Wednesday in 5th Circuit Court.
Judge Kathleen N. A. Watanabe denied a motion to reduce bail for Kalai Hans Vicente, 18, of Kapa‘a, who is one of four suspects charged with taking part in the Koloa Chevron convenience store robbery on Jan. 4.
Vicente is currently being held at Kaua‘i County Correctional Center. His bail will remain set at $100,000.
Defense attorney Gregory Meyers presented the motion, which received a strong objection from the state, represented by Deputy County Prosecutor Lisa Arin. She said the defendant presents a danger to himself and to the community.
Vicente and three other defendants are being tried separately for a violent early morning robbery that included theft and property damage, along with brandishing a hunting knife and punching and kicking the store’s manager. The theft included cash, wine, cigarettes and other store items.
The co-defendants include Josiah Kaluna, 18, of Koloa, Mason Noah Saio, 20, of Kalaheo, and Clarence Montgomery Kane, 21, of Koloa. Each is charged with first-degree robbery and attempted second-degree theft.
Saio and Vicente each face an additional count of third-degree assault. Kaluna faces additional charges of fourth-degree criminal property damage and two counts of third-degree assault.
On April 4, Watanabe denied a supervised release request for Montgomery, who was described as the “least culpable” of the suspects by attorney Caren Dennemeyer. The judge instead granted the alternative relief motion to reduce bail to $50,000.
