Maui man dies at hospital a week after being tased by police over stolen vehicle

A Maui man died at the hospital a week after being tased by police officers following a chase over an alleged stolen vehicle on April 11.

The incident happened in Wailuku. According to a report by the Maui Police Department (MPD), officers were investigating a report of a stolen Ford F-150 out of the Kahului on April 10. The following day, officers spotted the vehicle in the Haiku area around 7 a.m.

According to MPD, officers followed the vehicle to a home on Kahiapo Place. Officers made contact with the driver, later identified as 53-year-old Televise Sau, and ordered him to get out of the vehicle, however, police say Sau hit the gas and headed toward the driveway before getting out and running.

Police say Sau was running toward an unoccupied and uninvolved house when an officer fired his stun gun, striking Sau. Sau was placed under arrest and taken to Maui Medical Center for treatment. He remained at the hospital until he was pronounced dead on Thursday, April 18.

MPD issued the following statement on this incident:

“The Maui Police Department takes incidents involving the use of force very seriously. In accordance with department policy, an internal investigation into the incident has been initiated, and the officer involved has been placed on administrative leave. We express our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Mr. Sau during this difficult time.”

Sau’s official cause of death has not been released. This case remains under investigation. MPD is investigating this incident as an unattended death case.