LIHU‘E — The public defender for a Kilauea woman charged with second-degree attempted murder was unsuccessful Monday in asking the district court judge to drop the charge on the basis of the accuser’s lack of credibility. Carrie Ann Robson, 39,
LIHU‘E — The public defender for a Kilauea woman charged with second-degree attempted murder was unsuccessful Monday in asking the district court judge to drop the charge on the basis of the accuser’s lack of credibility.
Carrie Ann Robson, 39, was charged with attempted murder after being arrested Dec. 19 for allegedly trying to kill a homeless man first with a machete and then with her pick-up truck.
County Deputy Prosecutor Jake Delaplane played a 911 tape in which the alleged victim, Patrick Craig, frantically describes Robson’s erratic driving in the parking lot near Hanalei Pavilion.
In the 911 tape, Craig says Robson tried to “chop” him four or five times with a machete. He told the police dispatcher he was able to take the machete away from Robson, but she got into her pick-up truck and was trying to hit him with it.
“Her name is Carrie, Crazy Carrie they call her,” Craig told the dispatcher.
At one point Craig hangs up after telling the dispatcher that Robson was coming toward him and he had to leave. Minutes later Craig called 911 again, saying Robson hit him with her truck several times and he was injured.
“Ah, I think I broke my arm. Like, the crazy b**** ran me over,” he told the dispatcher.
Craig was later taken via ambulance to Wilcox Memorial Hospital, where x-rays confirmed he suffered a broken wrist. He also had scratches on his back and abrasions to his left chin, according to Kaua‘i Police Det. Bryson Ponce, who met with Craig at the hospital.
Despite admitting to having drank 18 beers, Craig’s speech was not slurred, and he was able to give specific details of what had happened, according to Ponce.
Public defender Christian Enright said if Craig was a credible witness, then there would be a case against Robson. Craig testified in another preliminary hearing Dec. 27.
But Enright said Craig admitted to drinking 18 beers and smoking marijuana that day, and still was able “somehow” to take the machete away from Robson.
If Robson really was attempting to take Craig’s life, he would have suffered more severe bodily injuries and the phone booth in which Craig made the 911 call would have been damaged.
Ponce confirmed the phone booth had no damages.
Enright called a surprise witness, Jackie Griswold, who is currently detained at Kaua‘i Community Correction Center on unrelated charges.
Senda, however, ruled Griswold’s testimony irrelevant to the hearing, because she was referring to an incident which happened at the Hanalei Pavilion in October, at least two months before the alleged crime.
After a bench conference with Enright and Delaplane, Senda let Griswold continue for the record, because Enright said Griswold is ill and might not be able to testify when the case moves up to circuit court.
Griswold said last October, after a fight with her husband, she went into the bathroom at the pavilion and came across Craig, who allegedly harassed her.
“He came from behind me and asked me for a hug,” she testified.
Griswold said she told Craig to leave the women’s bathroom, and his response was that he had a bong and wanted to smoke marijuana in there.
Craig ended up leaving the bathroom, but stood outside for an hour, Griswold said.
“He said he was going to choke me, stab me and rape me,” Griswold said.
It was early in the morning, and after other people arrived, Griswold was able to leave the bathroom. She said she explained what happened to her husband, who told her that Craig had schizophrenia.
“Mr. Craig has proved himself to be a liar,” Enright told the court.
Senda was unmoved. She said the court does find probable cause to charge Robson with attempted second-degree murder, and bounded the case over to circuit court.
The next hearing will be at 8 a.m., Jan. 13.
Robson has had a long history of trouble with the law. She has been convicted of at least 17 misdemeanors, dating as far back as Oct. 22, 1990, when she was found guilty at age 19 for failing to have two license plates on her car and refusing to show identification.
Over the years, Robson has also been convicted of harassment, criminal contempt of court, family abuse, criminal trespassing, criminal property damage, assault and violating probation.
• Léo Azambuja, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or lazambuja@kauaipubco.com.
