Trial Scheduled for HPD Officers Involved in 2021 Makaha Incident

HONOLULU (Hawaii News Now) – A criminal trial for four current and former officers of the Honolulu Police Department is set for April 26, 2027, following a protracted legal saga. The trial comes nearly six years after a chase in 2021 led to a near-fatal crash in Makaha, which resulted in injuries to six individuals, including teenagers, with some suffering permanent damage.

The incident occurred in September 2021, when a white sedan veered off the road in Makaha, resulting in six people being ejected from the vehicle. Prosecutors allege that officers Erik Smith, Jake Bartolome, and Robert Lewis III were not authorized to pursue the sedan and failed to assist following the crash. Officer Joshua Nahulu, suspected of driving a subsidized SUV closely behind, faces the most severe charge: causing an accident with serious bodily injury.