Man from Mountain View arrested for assaulting two officers in Kea'au

A 44-year-old man headbutted and kicked two police officers at a Kea'au shopping centre on 18 September. Justin Santagati has been charged following the incident.

Puna man charged after attacking officers at Kea'au shopping centre

Hawaiʻi Island police have arrested and charged a 44-year-old Mountain View man after he assaulted two officers at a shopping centre on Keaʻau-Pāhoa Road on the evening of Friday, 18 September 2026, according to hawaiipolice.gov.

Puna patrol officers were dispatched at 8:19 p.m. to a disturbance call in the 16-500 block of Keaʻau-Pāhoa Road. At the scene, Justin Santagati approached officers and became disorderly and aggressive, refusing to comply with their directions.

Officers moved to place Santagati under arrest. As they attempted to secure him in a police transport vehicle, he turned combative — headbutting one officer and kicking another several times in the chest.

Both officers were treated for minor injuries and released from the Hilo Benioff Medical Center emergency room. Santagati was transported to the East Hawaii Detention Facility while detectives from the Area I Criminal Investigation Section continued their investigation.

Following consultation with the Hawaiʻi County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney on Saturday afternoon, 19 September, police formally charged Santagati with the relevant offences.

Detectives are asking anyone with information to contact Detective Michael Matsumura of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at (808) 961-2386, by email at [email protected], or the department's non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311.

Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)