Man receives life-threatening injuries in alleged attack by ‘machete’-wielding brother

A 44-year-old Puna man is in custody after he allegedly attacked his 42-year-old brother with what the victim called a “machete,” causing him life-threatening injuries.

Dante F. Modaffari of Mountain View was arrested Feb. 13 and subsequently charged with first-degree assault and abuse of a family/household member in connection with the violent assault.

His bail was set at $55,000. He remains detained pending an initial court appearance scheduled for Feb. 18 in Hilo District Court.

Hawai’i Police Department’s Puna Patrol responded Feb. 12 to a report of a man yelling for help shortly before 9 a.m. in the roadway fronting a residence on Lehuanani Street in Volcano.

Officers found the 42-year-old man, who was bleeding significantly from his arms because of multiple life-threatening lacerations, and immediately provided him with medical aide.

The man stated while first responders were tending to his injuries that his brother, identified as Modaffari, attacked him with a “machete” and then fled the area on foot.

Additional responding officers conducted checks in the surrounding area; however, Modaffari could not be found.

The 42-year-old man was transported by Hawai’i Fire Department ambulance to Hilo Benioff Medical Center, where he underwent immediate surgery for his injuries.

Puna Patrol officers, who were continuing checks in the Lehuanani area, arrested Modaffari without incident after they found him Thursday in a structure on a vacant property in the vicinity of where the alleged attack took place.

Detectives with the Hawai’i Police Department Area I Juvenile Aid Section recovered potential evidence later after serving a search warrant on the vacant property where Modaffari was arrested.

Anyone who might have witnessed the incident is asked to contact Detective Richard Itliong at 808-961-2278 or via email at Richard.Itliong@hawaiicounty.gov.

Those who want to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 808-961-8300.