LIHU‘E — With rumors of three unprovoked assaults circulating the island, the Kaua‘i Police Department said this week that it is looking into the three complaints. According to reports, a woman and her brother were leaving Tradewinds in Kapa‘a when
LIHU‘E — With rumors of three unprovoked assaults circulating the island, the Kaua‘i Police Department said this week that it is looking into the three complaints.
According to reports, a woman and her brother were leaving Tradewinds in Kapa‘a when they were allegedly jumped in the parking lot by a group of men on April 10.
A week or so later, a Hanalei man was jumped after leaving Tahiti Nui, also by a group of men. He was reportedly left badly beaten in town.
On April 25, several police cars responded to Restaurant Kintaro in Kapa‘a after a woman — allegedly in a wedding dress — was assaulted by a man outside, according to reports.
Assistant Chief Roy Asher addressed the allegations in an e-mail this week, saying KPD had a suspect in the first incident, but noting that the complaint was filed on April 11 in the vicinity of nearby Trees Lounge. Asher said KPD’s Patrol Services Bureau has not yet completed its report on the incident.
Asher said PSB was unable to locate the victim in the Hanalei incident. “Per dispatch he was uncooperative and refused to provide his name,” Asher wrote.
In the final incident, outside Kintaro, PSB has yet to make contact with the suspect, Asher said, noting that all three complaints are classified as third-degree assault, a misdemeanor.
Data provided by KPD shows that the number reports of assault have largely remained steady on the island in recent years. There were 213 such reports during the first three months of 2009, compared with 212 for the same period of 2008, and 205 for the same period of 2007.
Of those assault reports, 90 were categorized as abuse of family in 2009, while 90 were categorized the same way in 2008, and 66 in 2007. Just 12 reports were categorized as aggravated assault in 2009 versus 18 in 2008 and 33 in 2007.
Phone messages left for various reported witnesses to the incidents were not returned.
• Michael Levine, assistant news editor, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or via e-mail at mlevine@kauaipubco.com
