Two Kona men are in police custody and another hospitalized after a violent robbery early Tuesday in Kailua-Kona.
Two Kona men are in police custody and another hospitalized after a violent robbery early Tuesday in Kailua-Kona.
At about 2 a.m. Tuesday, police responded to a report of a robbery outside the Denny’s restaurant.
According to police, an acquaintance approached two Kailua-Kona men, ages 25 and 23, then allegedly bludgeoned the 25-year-old in the head, arms and legs with a blunt object and stole both men’s backpacks.
The assailant then reportedly left the area in a black sedan being driving by a second man.
The 25-year-old victim was taken to Kona Community Hospital with serious head injuries. He was later transferred to The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu, where he remains in stable condition. The 23-year-old victim was not injured.
A short time later, police located a car matching the description of the suspects’ car and learned that the sole occupant, 43-year-old Nohea Gene Heinicke of Kailua-Kona, was wanted on a bench warrant. He was arrested and charged with violating probation and held at the Kona police cellblock pending his initial court appearance on the bench warrant.
Then at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, detectives arrested Heinicke on suspicion of accessory to robbery. At 1:25 p.m. Tuesday they arrested the second suspect, 28-year-old Randall Todd Chase of Kailua-Kona, on suspicion of robbery.
Both men are in police custody Kona Criminal Investigations Section detectives investigate.