A sickle attack on June 20 that left two people injured by the Ross Dress for Less store in Hilo started as an argument at the Hilo Walmart — which changed venues after store security ordered the parties to leave, according to court documents.
A 42-year-old man reported he was with his 44-year-old girlfriend and a 52-year-old man by a soda machine in front of Walmart when a man they knew as “Blue” — identified by police as 37-year-old Kunia Hassard of Hilo — started circling them on a bicycle.
The 42-year-old man told police he confronted Hassard, saying, “Whatcha looking at? Whatcha gonna do?”
According to documents, the man also said he asked security to call police because something was going to happen, but security ordered them all to leave.
The woman said Hassard pulled a 10-inch sickle from his backpack while in front of Walmart and began swinging it around.
Documents state the three, who also had bicycles, left Walmart and went to Ross, with Hassard following.
The woman said an argument ensued, and her boyfriend challenging Hassard to a fight. At one point, Hassard went toward the boyfriend with the sickle, according to documents, but turned toward the woman and slashed her left forearm.
The 52-year-old man said he dropped his bike, got between Hassard and the woman, and put a headlock on Hassard. The man said Hassard escaped the headlock and stabbed him in the lower rib area with the sickle.
The woman said Hassard then left on her boyfriend’s black Schwinn bicycle.
The victims were taken to Hilo Medical Center in stable condition.
Police arrested Hassard at about 10 a.m. Wednesday at a Mikioi Street address adjacent to Panaewa Park and charged him with first- and second-degree assault and third-degree theft.
The first-degree assault charge, the most serious offense, carries a potential 10-year prison sentence upon conviction. According to court records, Hassard has four prior felony convictions.
Documents state Hassard told police the three individuals harassed him and threw multiple items at him and followed him to Ross, where they assaulted him and attempted to take his sickle.
He told police, documents state, that he accidentally slashed the woman and stabbed the 52-year-old man.
On Monday, Hassard pleaded not guilty to all charges. Hilo District Judge Bruce Larson denied a defense motion to free Hassard on supervised release — a form of cashless bail — and ordered him to return to court today for a preliminary hearing.
Hassard remains in custody at Hawaii Community Correctional Center in lieu of $52,020 bail.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
