HAWAII ISLAND (KHON2) — 31-year-old Pomaikai Olson, the Big Island man charged with 27 different offenses, including robbery, motor vehicle theft, reckless endangering, most during a 22-minute time span last Saturday, remains locked up. In the meantime, some of his alleged victims are speaking out.
Sharon Mahi Kahaleua was driving with her 11-year-old grandson, Mackenzie Mahi, in Kurtistown when she encountered Olson.
“I turned towards my left, which was in a parking driveway by a house, and he was just ramming the truck,” said Kahaleua. “When I turned back, I saw him burning rubber. I went to look for ways to get out of the way because he’s coming out of that driveway. But there were so many cars moving slowly, I couldn’t get out of the way.”
Realizing that a collision was inevitable, Kahaleua made a difficult choice.
“The only thing I could do was turn and shield my grandson, because he was going to hit me, and boom, he hit me,” said Kahaleua. “I couldn’t get out of my car, I was trapped in the car. My legs were pinned on the bottom and the seat belt wouldn’t come out.”
Initially believing the car to be on fire, and worried of what would follow after the collision, Kahaleua told her grandson to get out of the car.
“He said, ‘Grandma, we gotta get out!’ But I couldn’t get out. So my 11-year-old grandson pulled me out of the car.”
“I knew I had to get my Grandma out,” said Mackenzie. “My mom and my parents taught me from a young age how to handle those type of situations.”
“I’m angry because I’m physically hurt, I can’t go to work,” said Kahaleua, “But my grandson was in the car, which makes me more furious.”
But despite all that, Kahaleua says that she hopes Olson gets the help that he needs.
“By the grace of God, we are alive today. I forgive this man for whatever he had caused me. I can’t speak for the rest of the families that are suffering from this. I hope he does not come outside, but I hope he gets the help he needs in jail,” said Kahaleua firmly.
“He doesn’t belong on the streets, unfortunately. What he did was a choice,” Kahaleua continued. “It doesn’t matter if he had a drug problem or a mental health problem, he does not belong on the streets. So they need to help him get help, but it can’t be from outside. It has to be from within it. He’s dangerous to himself as well as others.”
Olson’s bail was confirmed at $592,000, and is set to appear for a preliminary hearing Thursday.