Two Hilo men facing criminal charges in the wake of a large affray Wednesday afternoon in downtown Hilo made their initial court appearances Thursday afternoon.
Jimbo Encher, who is charged with two counts of first-degree terroristic threatening for allegedly pointing a rifle-shaped pellet gun at a group of people was ordered to return to court Monday for a preliminary hearing.
Hilo District Judge Kanani Laubach denied a defense motion to release Encher on court-supervised release without monetary bail and ordered Encher to return Monday for a preliminary hearing
Encher remains in custody on $4,000 bail.
Laubach granted a motion by court-appointed attorney Stanton Oshiro to free the other adult defendant, 22-year-old Jason Isope, for release on his own recognizance without bail.
Isope pleaded not guilty to disorderly conduct after he allegedly picked up a large rock in the presence of officers and approached a group of bystanders in a threatening manner.
Laubach ordered Isope to return to court on Jan. 20 for arraignment.
Encher’s charges are both Class C felonies, which carry potential five-year prison sentences upon conviction, while Isope’s is a petty misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail.
Neither man has a previous criminal record in Hawaii, and both availed themselves of the services of a Chuukese language interpreter during Thursday’s hearing.
The two men and three juveniles were arrested after the affray near Kalakaua Park that, according to reports to police, included people yelling, throwing rocks and brandishing weapons, including a knife and possibly a rifle.
Officers responding to the scene as the result of multiple calls at 4:21 p.m. discovered more than 20 people in the parking lot of the old Hilo Hotel.
In addition to Encher and Isope, those arrested included a 13-year-old boy who had been yelling at others in a threatening manner, plus two other teenage boys, ages 15 and 17, who allegedly punched, kicked and threw a rock at the 35-year-old man, causing minor injuries.
The 13-year-old was taken into custody on suspicion of disorderly conduct, wand the older boys were apprehended on suspicion of assault.
All three were released into the custody of their parents pending further investigation, police said.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.