Kona man faces gun charges

A Holualoa man has been charged with a dozen offenses after reportedly brandishing weapons at a family party Saturday night.

Kona police responded to the Imin Center in Holualoa at 10:50 p.m. Saturday to a report of a disturbance involving a large group of people.

They learned that a 34-year-old man had reportedly wielded a handgun at the community center during a baby’s birthday party and threatened the life of a 48-year-old acquaintance from Kailua-Kona. Other party guests were able to take the gun away before the gunman fled the area. Police recovered the weapon.

At 10 p.m. Sunday police arrested 34-year-old Chad L. Denis on suspicion of terroristic threatening. He was held at the Kona police cellblock while detectives investigated. Police say the handgun had been stolen during a Kona burglary in April 2011.

According to police, Denis had also threatened a 27-year-old Kona man and a 42-year-old Kona man during the confrontation at the party and later returned to the community center and allegedly confronted the same three victims and threatened them with a rifle before fleeing with the weapon. No one was injured in either confrontation.

Denis then allegedly returned to his home and got into a verbal argument with a 26-year-old Holualoa woman. As the woman drove away, Denis reportedly threw a rock through her windshield. She was not injured.

At 4:15 p.m. Tuesday, detectives charged Denis with first-degree theft, first-degree criminal property damage, six counts of terroristic threatening, two counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a weapon and two counts of failure to maintain bail or bond in connection with unrelated charges. His bail was set at $500,000.

He remained in custody until his initial court appearance Wednesday.