Police seek man in December assault aboard Ocean View bus

Police are asking the public for help identifying a man wanted for questioning in connection with a reported assault aboard a County of Hawaii Hele-On bus bound for Hawaiian Ocean View Estates. The incident put a spotlight on safety aboard the island’s public bus system, especially on the long south-side route that serves Ocean View.

Investigators said the man was last seen after exiting the bus near the 92-8000 block of Hawaii Belt Road in the Ocean View area. He is described as a Micronesian male in his 20s with a short mustache and goatee, and he was reportedly wearing a black hoodie, black jeans, black sunglasses and a white baseball cap.

The Hawaii Police Department’s Area II Juvenile Aid Section is handling public contact on the case. Officer Christopher Ross is asking anyone with information to call 808-326-4646, extension 302, or email christopher.ross@hawaiipolice.gov. Police have also released a photo of the man and said they are seeking him for questioning; they have not said he has been charged.

The call for tips comes as transit safety remains a concern on Hawaii Island. A separate Hele-On bus crash in Laupāhoehoe on Sept. 30, 2025 sent 22 people to the hospital, underscoring how quickly incidents on county buses can become major public safety events. Hele-On is the County of Hawaii Mass Transit Agency’s bus system, and its routes and schedules are used by riders who depend on it to reach communities across the island, including Hawaiian Ocean View Estates.