38-year-old man faces sex assault, several other charges after Puna domestic incident

A 38-year-old man is facing sex assault and an array of other charges after an incident last weekend in Puna during which he allegedly hit a woman and her 15-year-old daughter, who says he touched her inappropriately, and threatened the family.

Adonis Benjamin Imaikalani Higa is charged with:

• Third-degree sex assault.
• First-degree terroristic threatening.
• Abuse of a family household member (in the presence of a minor).
• Possession of a firearm prohibited.
• Mandatory registration of a firearm.
• Abuse of a family household member against a spouse/relationship.
• Abuse of a family household member against family and children.
• Third-degree theft.
• Fourth-degree criminal property damage.

His bail was set at $94,000. Higa’s initial court appearance was Thursday afternoon in Hilo District Court, where his bail was maintained.

He remains in custody and was ordered to appear at 2 p.m. March 11 for a preliminary hearing.

Puna patrol officers responded shortly before 8 p.m. March 3 to the incident at a residence on Nānāwale Boulevard in Pāhoa. Upon their arrival, the officers determined the altercation began after the 15-year-old girl reported to her mother that Higa touched her in a sexual manner and later recorded his actions with her cellphone, including sexual acts he stated he wanted to do with her.

When Higa was confronted by the girl’s mother, he struck both of them in the presence of another child and threatened all members of the household while retrieving a rifle from a closet.

He grabbed the cellphone from the 15-year-old, smashed it and then left the residence with it before police arrived.

Higa turned himself in the morning of March 5 at the Pāhoa Police Station.