A 25-year-old Hilo man accused of stabbing another man in the throat Saturday night in downtown Hilo was recently discharged from a mental health group home, according to a prosecutor.
During the initial court appearance Monday for Donovan Sieb, Deputy Prosecutor Christopher Rothfus objected to a request by Sieb’s attorney, Deputy Public Defender Austin Hsu, to grant Sieb supervised release or reduce his $275,000 bail.
“We believe that the defendant poses a significant danger to this community, if he were released,” Rothfus said. “… He would be basically on the street with mental health issues.”
Sieb is charged with attempted second-degree murder and first-degree assault for allegedly stabbing 25-year-old Joseph Red House Cook of Hilo at about 8:40 p.m. Saturday night on Keawe Street near Spencer’s Health and Fitness Center.
Sieb looked downward and clasped his hands during much of Monday’s brief hearing.
Hilo District Judge Charles Hite maintained Sieb’s bail amount and ordered him to return at 2 p.m. Wednesday for a preliminary hearing.
Police Lt. Miles Chong of the Hilo Criminal Investigations Section said Sieb approached a group of people and started an argument with them.
“The suspect punched the victim, and the group then moved the suspect away,” Chong said. Chong said Sieb then stabbed Cook.
Chong said Sieb and Cook didn’t know each other.
According to Chong, security personnel from nearby Hilo Town Tavern “assisted in helping to keep the suspect there” until police arrived and apprehended Sieb. He said the altercation did not start in the popular downtown Hilo watering hole.
A Hilo Town Tavern employee, who didn’t identify himself on the phone, said Monday he didn’t see the incident, but confirmed Chong’s account of security detaining Sieb until officers arrived. The employee, who described Cook as “my friend,” said he and a firefighter helped apply pressure to Cook’s wound until an ambulance took him to the hospital.
Chong said a knife was recovered at the scene.
Police spokesman Alan Richmond said Cook was taken to Hilo Medical Center in serious condition with a deep laceration to his throat, which required surgery.
Chong said Cook was later flown to The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu for further treatment. He didn’t have an update on Cook’s condition, but friends posted online that Cook is in stable condition.
Cook’s Facebook page describes him as “president at Hawaii Eco Tech” and “owner/photographer at Red House Photography.”
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.