Puna man charged with assaulting 43-year-old with knives and nunchucks

A Puna man is facing various offenses after allegedly assaulting a 43-year-old man over the weekend with knives and nunchucks.

Ocean Keanaluokona Hegent is facing assault and kidnapping charges in connection to an incident that occurred on Friday. Hawai‘i police officers responded to Kea‘au Fire Station shortly after 8:30 p.m. where they encountered the victim who had been dropped off.

“He had severe injuries about his head, face, and body, and was immediately transported via ambulance to the Hilo Medical Center Emergency Room,” police stated in a press release Monday. “Prior to transport, the victim provided a brief statement to officers, reporting he had been punched and kicked about the face, head, and body, as well as stabbed various times, and identified Hegent as the responsible party.”

According to the probable cause statement, Hegent was in a heated verbal dispute with the victim when it became physical. The court document indicates the victim was stabbed in the left shin and inner ankle and was hit in the face nunchucks (two sticks connected to each other at their ends by a short metal chain or a rope). 

The police investigation led officers to a residence on 18th Avenue in the Hawaiian Paradise Park subdivision in Kea‘au, where Hegent was located and arrested. A search warrant was later executed on the residence, and detectives recovered three sets of knives, three sets of nunchucks, box cutter and a rope that had been used by Hegent to tie up and restrain the victim.

Due to the severity of the victim’s injuries, Area I Criminal Investigation Section detectives responded to the scene to assist in furthering the investigation. The victim remains hospitalized.

Hegent was charged with first-degree assault, second-degree assault and kidnapping. He appeared in the Puna Courtroom on Monday where his bail was maintained at $85,000. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Wednesday.

Police ask anyone who may have witnessed this incident to contact Detective Zenas Pacheco of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at 808-961-2384 or email Zenas.Pacheco@hawaiicounty.gov.