MEDIA RELEASE

At approximately 11:10 p.m., on Sunday, (April 1), Hawai’i Island police received a report of two males impersonating a police officer on Highway 19 near the 21-mile marker near Maulua Gulch.

A driver had pulled over to the shoulder of the highway after becoming drowsy and had fallen asleep when he was awakened with a flashlight being shined in his face. A voice told him “This is a police officer; let me see your ID.”

He then realized the man was not a police officer and saw a second person open his passenger door and remove items from within the vehicle.

The two men, described as being local, in their mid-20s to early 30s, about 5-feet-7 inches to 5- feet-9- inches tall, medium to stocky build, then moved to the rear of the victim’s vehicle and left in a large sized SUV headed in the Hilo direction.

During the investigation, police determined that the two suspects were not uniform, presented no police identification, and no blue lights or sirens were used.

Police are asking if anyone has information on the incident to, please call Officer Amacias Valdez at (808) 962-2120 or the Police Department’s non-emergency number at (808) 935-3311.