KAILUA-KONA — A sexual assault case in which two boys are suspected of attacking a woman at Old Kona Airport Park in Kailua-Kona last September is now in the hands of county prosecutors. ADVERTISING KAILUA-KONA — A sexual assault case
KAILUA-KONA — A sexual assault case in which two boys are suspected of attacking a woman at Old Kona Airport Park in Kailua-Kona last September is now in the hands of county prosecutors.
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Sheri Lawson said Tuesday that they have the case and it’s under review.
That review, she said, includes looking at police reports and evidence to determine whether to bring charges against any suspects. She didn’t have a timeline for when that review would be finished.
While the attack reportedly involved two juvenile suspects, police said Tuesday that, so far, they have only been able to identify one “viable, prosecutable suspect.”
That suspect, said Hawaii Police Department Maj. Robert Wagner, is the same one who was arrested Sept. 4, 2016, one day after the reported attack.
“There was another juvenile interviewed, but at this time (there is) not enough evidence to prosecute that individual if they were involved,” Wagner said in an email. “I would definitely say the other juvenile spoken to is a possible suspect, a person of interest, but we have so far failed to connect the dots satisfactory for prosecution.”
Wagner said prosecutors still get the whole report with anybody who was interviewed or arrested, but that at this time there was only enough evidence to prosecute the one suspect.
“Should that change, then the other suspect will be sought for prosecution,” he said. “Or if after the prosecutors review the report and feel there is enough to go after the other suspect, then the other suspect will be prosecuted.”
Wagner said earlier this month that the case was referred to prosecutors at the end of March.
Police announced the case in September and that it involved two minors attacking a woman Sept. 3 at Old Kona Airport Park.
At 8:35 p.m. that day, police said, two boys reportedly approached the woman, punched and sexually assaulted her. Police added that the boys reportedly fled when confronted by an unidentified person.
Police arrested one suspect, a 15-year-old boy, on Sept. 4. He was later released into the custody of his parents, police said.
Police in February said they identified the second boy, saying he was “brought in and interviewed.”
Email Cameron Miculka at cmiculka@westhawaiitoday.com.
