Park Patrons Credited With Grabbing Alleged Kidnapper

Police are crediting individuals at a South Kohala park for physically detaining a Hilo man long sought by police.

Keahi Sale has been accused of kidnapping and sexual assault in connection with an incident this past weekend.

Police received a report Saturday morning that Sale, 25, had kidnapped a 27-year-old Hilo woman.

They began an intensive search for Sale, who was wanted on three no-bail arrest warrants and had previously been featured on the police department’s “Hawaii Island’s Most Wanted” television show.

Police said on Saturday afternoon, Sale and the woman were at Spencer Beach Park when the woman called to bystanders for help. The bystanders held Sale until police arrived.

Spencer beach park. Google Earth image.

Sale was initially arrested on the outstanding warrants, one for violating conditions of release and two for violating probation, and taken to the Hilo cellblock.

On Monday, he was charged with kidnapping, sexual assault, terroristic threatening and two counts of abuse in connection with Saturday’s incident. His bail on those counts was set at $80,000.

Since then Sale has also been arrested for 24 offenses that allegedly occurred between September 2013 and earlier this month.

They include two counts of sexual assault of an adult, felony assault of a female infant and two counts of abuse of a 7-year-old boy.

Others include kidnapping, two counts of unlawful imprisonment, 10 counts of abuse, four counts of terroristic threatening, custodial interference and car theft.

Sale was also arrested for 11 traffic offenses in connection with the same series of alleged crimes.

Police said Sale was not charged in those 35 cases, which will be forwarded to county prosecutors for handling.

Sale, who is being held at Hawaii Community Correctional Center, is scheduled to make an appearance Friday in District Court.