Hawaii man ‘terrified’ when resident fires gun at him near volcano
HILO, Hawaii — A Hawaii man has testified that he was terrified when a neighbor pointed a gun at him last month and fired at least two shots into the air in a mandatory evacuation zone near the erupting Kilauea volcano.
Ethan Edwards testified in a Hilo courtroom last week in the preliminary hearing for John William “Bill” Hubbard, 61,who was arrested and charged with reckless endangering, terroristic threatening and other charges in state court, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported.
U.S. prosecutors have also charged Hubbard with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
A cellphone video captured the encounter in the Leilani Estates neighborhood, where lava has been flowing.
'I feared for my life.' A Hawaii volcano evacuee testifies about being shot at by a neighbor near erupting Kilauea volcano. Story: https://t.co/29fsK6RHbj pic.twitter.com/1wcADXTeJm
— AP West Region (@APWestRegion) June 12, 2018
“I feared for my life. He had the gun pointed at me. I was terrified,” Kaech testified.
Edwards told the court that Hubbard was “really angry” and “super aggressive” during the encounter.
The hearing is to determine if there is probable cause to try Hubbard for first-degree robbery, reckless endangering, use of a firearm in the commission of a separate felony, illegally carrying a handgun, having no permit to acquire a firearm and no firearm registration, two counts of reckless endangering and five counts of first-degree terroristic threatening.
Hubbard remains in jail in lieu of a $197,000 bail.
