Affray at football game leads to arrest for assault after young girl knocked down

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect the incident occurred at a youth football game, not at a Pop Warner game, as Hawai‘i Island police initially reported.

Hawai‘i Island police arrested a 31-year-old Mountain View man for second-degree assault after a 7-year-old girl was knocked down during an affray at a youth football game at Keaukaha Field on Sept. 7.

South Hilo patrol officers at 1:28 p.m. responded to a report of an affray at Keaukaha Field on Pua Avenue in Hilo. Upon arrival, officers determined the affray was between several adult male individuals, and in the process, the young girl was knocked down after being elbowed in the head.

She was transported to the Hilo Benioff Medical Center for treatment for a serious concussion and later released.

Tyler Anthony Ikaika Iopa had left the area before officers’ arrival but was positively identified as the suspect who knocked the young girl down. Iopa turned himself into detectives of the Juvenile Aid Section at the Hilo Police Station on Sept. 10 and was held while detectives continued their investigation.

The investigation determined that the young girl was knocked down when Iopa was stepping backward to get away from the other two male individuals involved in the affray. While retreating backward, his elbow unintentionally struck the young girl in the head.

On Sept. 11, Iopa was released pending further investigation. Upon completion of the investigation, detectives will defer the case to the Prosecutor’s Office for their review and final disposition.

Police are asking anyone who witnessed the affray to contact Detective Clarence Acob of the Area I Juvenile Aid Section at 808-961-8839 or by email at clarence.acob@hawaiicounty.gov.