Aaron Nakamoto, 35, Waikoloa, the man who allegedly sent two women to the hospital after a fight last year in Waikoloa, had his day in court Friday.
Aaron Nakamoto, 35, Waikoloa, the man who allegedly sent two women to the hospital after a fight last year in Waikoloa, had his day in court Friday.
Nakamoto decided to testify in the case where he is charged with attempted second-degree murder, first degree assault, second degree assault and disorderly conduct.
He was in a fight with Hanna Luepkes, 23, Waikoloa, and Cary Ann Sugimoto, 23, Waikoloa, on the night of Oct. 12, 2014.
He told the court that he started his day at 5 a.m., working as a cart attendant at the Beach and Kings Golf Course. He was done at 10 a.m., headed home and brought a friend to watch football and drink beer.
Eventually, his wife went to work and he dropped their daughter off at Nakamoto’s parent’s house.
He stopped by Banjy’s Paradise Bar and Grill, had several beers and watched various sports.
He went to the Waikoloa Shopping Center, intending to pick up a few things, he said.
Instead he decided to check in at Pueo’s Osteria, looking for a friend. The friend wasn’t working, but Nakamoto sat down and ordered a beer, watching sports, he said.
Three people sat down on the remaining chairs on his side.
That included Sancie Demattos, who went to the bar for a small party. Her father had turned 85 and Demattos and her boyfriend took her father out to eat.
Demattos testified they didn’t know Nakamoto, but he and her father got into a friendly conversation, including how Waikoloa used to be.
She said that, despite testimony by prosecution witnesses, Nakamoto was not yelling or gesturing across the bar.
Nakamoto said that some time after the three left, Luepkes came up to him and insulted him, saying he’d ruined their night.
He said he was confused by this, as he hadn’t interacted with either woman.
Shortly afterwards he was escorted out by the co-owner of the restaurant, James “Chef” Babian.
That must have been upsetting, said prosecuting attorney Kauanoe Jackson in her cross-examination.
“No, it was just confusing, as I didn’t do anything to get kicked out,” Nakamoto said.
Babian’s earlier testimony said Nakamoto was shouting loud enough to overwhelm the kitchen noise.
While outside, Babian said put his hand on Nakamoto’s shoulder and offered to give the “slightly off” man a ride to his home.
Nakamoto described it as a grasp that went around his back and held on to his triceps.
He shrugged it off and turned away from Babian.
Babian testified that Nakamoto cursed at him and made an obscene gesture.
Nakamoto said he may have said that and made that gesture, but he couldn’t be certain.
Now out of the bar, he checked the nearby Thai food kiosk to see if another friend was working.
He wasn’t, so Nakamoto said he made his way back to his SUV.
His testimony included an idea that he might have spent several minutes in the area, at which time Luepkes and Sugimoto were shopping for food.
The women left the KTA and headed toward home. At some point, they decided to turn around and head back to Pueo’s to “confront Aaron,” Sugimoto said.
When they approached, Luepkes dropped her purse and advanced towards Nakamoto, who said he was getting into his car.
Nakamoto said he heard shouting and running, then a person he didn’t realize was Luepkes came up out of the darkness.
“I got hit with a ‘false crack,’” he said, a punch strong enough to send him stumbling back into his SUV.
He said it was followed to another blow to his face, which varies from Luepkes’ testimony, who said he punched her immediately after the first blow.
“Everything went cloudy after I got hit in the face,” he said, explaining why his memory was incomplete.
“Eventually (we) wrestled down to the ground,” he said.
He said his goal was self-defense.
“I tried to fight off whoever mobbed me,” he said.
Nakamoto said he regularly carried a knife, both for protection and to use at work.
He regularly carried it in a front pocket, he said, and had no recollection how it got out, who used it or how.
Then someone told them to stop. They did and Nakamoto realized there was a man threatening to fight him.
That was Tyler Asselin, who had approached with Heather Heers, an action that stopped the fight.
Asselin testified he was angered that a man was fighting with women.
Nakamoto said his focus was on the man, who he did not fight. The two women left the scene.
Dr. Alistair Bairos, who operated on Luepkes, treated an incision on her neck and a cut from her right eye to her ear.
He said he was concerned that the facial nerve that controls the area was damaged. Luepkes testified it took four to six weeks to fully regain feeling there.
Judge Ronald Ibarra said he intends to have a verdict by Dec. 14.