Man charged with 2nd-degree attempted murder in Hawaii island fight

A 32-year-old man was in custody today after being charged with second-degree attempted murder following a bloody confrontation Friday night off of Bayfront Highway in Hilo.

When Hilo patrol officers responded to the incident at 10:12 p.m. Friday in an area commonly known as “Loneliness Tree,” they saw a man with injuries to his hands and blood on his clothing walking away from the area.

Minutes later ,when they arrived at the tree, officers discovered an unconscious 41-year-old man with severe facial injuries and covered with blood pinned under a large boulder at a fire-pit.

While medics transported the victim to Hilo Medical Center Emergency Room, officers tracked down the man who was walking away from the scene and arrested him for assault. He was later identified as Wallace Tahutini, with no permanent address.

The victim, police said, sustained a severe concussion, multiple fractures to his back, facial bones, and jaw, as well substantial wounds to his ears, scalp, and third-degree burns to his left leg. He remained hospitalized in critical condition.

After conferring with the county Prosecutor’s Office on Sunday, detectives charged Tahutini with second-degree attempted murder, with $500,000 bail.

Police are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact Det. Kimo Keliipaakaua at kimo.keliipaakaua@hawaiicounty.gov or the department’s non-emergency number at (808) 935-3311. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the islandwide Crime Stoppers number at (808) 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers doesn’t record calls or subscribe to caller ID, and all information is kept confidential.