The wife of a man stabbed during an altercation Saturday afternoon said she and her husband had a prior confrontation with the suspect the same day at a popular Keaukaha beach. ADVERTISING The wife of a man stabbed during an
The wife of a man stabbed during an altercation Saturday afternoon said she and her husband had a prior confrontation with the suspect the same day at a popular Keaukaha beach.
Alicia Coombs, the 50-year-old wife of 41-year-old stabbing victim David Coombs, testified Wednesday at a preliminary hearing in 3rd District Court for 46-year-old Paul Gibson of Ocean View, who’s charged with attempted murder and several other charges.
Coombs, of Keaukaha, said she and her husband rode their motorcycles to a party for a deceased motorcycle club member at James Kealoha Beach Park. She said Gibson was there and told them to “get … out of here.”
Coombs, responding to questions asked by Deputy Prosecutor Kim Angay, said she had never seen Gibson before, but said he was wearing a vest with only the lower panel of a patch, which identified him as an Oahu prospect for “81,” a nickname for Hell’s Angels.
“He has the bottom rocker, but does not have the top rocker or the center patch. He’s a prospect, but not a full member,” Coombs said. She added her husband “retired from a motorcycle club four years ago” and was not wearing club-related attire.
Coombs said she and her husband left, but later returned in their pickup truck and drove past the party, “minded our own business and had lunch.”
She said Gibson and another man rode up later and stopped their bikes in front of the truck. She said Gibson was still wearing his helmet when he allegedly told her husband, “I will … kill you.”
Coombs said she put herself between her husband and Gibson. Gibson then threw her to the ground.
The woman said Gibson “proceeded to throw blows at my husband” and a fistfight ensued. Coombs said she saw Gibson stab her husband “four to five times.”
“I backed off and the defendant grabbed out of his vest a black-colored gun,” she said.
Coombs said her husband wrestled Gibson for the gun and choked Gibson unconscious, then let him go.
She said Gibson picked up the gun, then mounted his motorcycle and rode off with the other man.
While her husband was being put into an ambulance, Coombs said an elderly couple stopped and told her they saw Gibson and the other man near Onekahakaha Beach Park.
According to court documents, police found a .22-caliber semi-automatic pistol in the area.
Coombs said her husband was released from the hospital Monday.
Cross-examination of Coombs by defense counsel Michael Zola is scheduled when the hearing resumes at 10 a.m. May 22.
Gibson was in custody during the hearing in lieu of $374,000 bail.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
