Firearm Death Threats at Party Result in $500,000 Bail

A 34-year-old Kona man was being held Wednesday on $500,000 bail after being charged with numerous offenses including armed threats he allegedly made at a party in Holualoa Saturday night.

Police said a large group of people were at the Imin Center in Holualoa for a baby’s birthday party when Chad Denis of Holualoa brandished a handgun and threatened the life of a 48-year-old acquaintance from Kailua-Kona and two other persons, Kona men ages 27 and 42. Other party guests disarmed Denis and he fled the area.

Police later learned that Denis returned to the party, this time with a rifle, and allegedly used the weapon to again threaten all three men before he fled the scene.

No one was injured in either confrontation.

Police said after the second altercation, Dennis returned to his home where he got into a verbal dispute with a 26-year-old Holualoa woman. As the woman drove away, Denis allegedly threw a rock through her windshield. She was not injured.

Police arrested Denis on Sunday.

Police on Tuesday charged Denis with theft, criminal property damage, six counts of terroristic threatening and two counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a weapon. He was also charged with two counts of failure to maintain bail or bond in connection with unrelated incidents.

Denis’ bail was set at $500,000 pending his initial court appearance today.

Detectives determined that the handgun taken from him at the party had allegedly been stolen during an April 2011 burglary in Kona, police said.