A 36-year-old Mountain View man allegedly broke into a Hawaiian Paradise Park home to retrieve his girlfriend, stabbed a resident, and violent abducted the woman, according to court documents filed by police.
Malani Tavui faces charges of kidnapping, first-degree burglary, two counts of second-degree assault, first-degree terroristic threatening, domestic abuse, methamphetamine possession and interfering with the report of an emergency or crime for the early Friday morning incident.
Tavui’s 25-year-old girlfriend told police she awakened to see her boyfriend stabbing the 52-year-old man, then forcefully removed her from the house and “threatened to shoot everyone there” if she didn’t get into his car, documents state.
According to documents, Tavui — who allegedly cut his way into the home through a window screen — struck the woman several times in the face and chest and grabbed her around the neck while they argued on a drive to Hilo. Tavui also allegedly took her cellphone, broke it in half and threw it out the window on Railroad Avenue near Lanikaula Street.
Tavui was arrested later in the day at a Kapiolani Street home, police said. Documents state, a glass smoking pipe containing methamphetamine was found in his right front pocket.
According to the documents, the stabbing victim suffered several cut tendons in his left hand, and police recovered the woman’s broken cellphone.
Tavui pleaded not guilty to all charges Monday in Hilo District Court.
Attorney William Heflin, subbing for court-appointed defense attorney Francis Alcain, asked Judge Jeffrey Hawk to free Tavui on supervised release.
Deputy Prosecutor Andrew Son objected, telling the judge Tavui has several prior felony convictions.
Hawk maintained Tavui’s bail at $118,000 and ordered him to return at 2 p.m. Wednesday for a preliminary hearing.
As of early Monday evening, Tavui remained in custody at Hawaii Community Correctional Center.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
