A 77-year-old Kalapana Seaview Estates man told police the boyfriend of one of his tenants reached inside the man’s car through the open front passenger window and, meat cleaver in hand, ordered him to stop the slow-moving vehicle, according to court documents filed by police.
The man, John Renauer, also told police that 43-year-old Reed Martineau threatened his front-seat passenger, 53-year-old Lesa Callahan, Martineau’s girlfriend and Renauer’s tenant, saying “I’m going to cut her neck.”
The incident, according to police, happened at about 9:30 p.m. Aug. 21 on Moanauili Loop in Kalapana Seaview Estates subdivision.
Renauer said Martineau got into the vehicle and ordered him to drive on Highway 137 toward Kalani Oceanside Retreat, while striking Renauer on top of his head with the meat cleaver, yelling, “Drive faster or I’ll kill you.” Renauer also reportedly told police Martineau cut his neck with the cleaver.
Renauer said Martineau then ordered him to pull over so Martineau could drive. When he did so, Renauer also got out of his 2012 Nissan Sentra and jumped into some bushes to hide, documents state.
According to documents, Martineau then yelled, “Come back or I’ll kill her!”
Renauer, however, stayed in the bushes while Martineau drove off with Callahan in the car, documents state.
Martineau is charged with attempted second-degree murder, first-degree robbery, unauthorized entry to a motor vehicle, unauthorized control of a stolen vehicle, and two counts each of kidnapping, first degree robbery and first-degree terroristic threatening.
Callahan told police a similar story, according to documents.
She reportedly told police that as Martineau was driving, he was punching her and striking her with the cleaver, threatened to kill her and bit off a portion of her left ear.
Callahan said, according to documents, after Martineau stopped the car, he dragged her on the ground toward bushes, said he was going to killer her and told her, “You not going anywhere.”
She told police she couldn’t count how many times she was punched, kicked and had her hair pulled by Martineau and said she thinks she lost consciousness, documents state.
Callahan and Renauer were taken to Hilo Medical Center, where Renauer was treated for several lacerations to his head and neck, while Callahan suffered a fractured nasal bone, missing portion of her left ear and multiple lacerations to her face and head.
A witness told police he was driving on Highway 137 when he saw a shirtless, tattooed man dragging a woman on the ground. The witness called 911.
Martineau made his initial appearance Monday in Hilo District Court, where he pleaded not guilty.
Judge Harry Freitas maintained Martineau’s bail at $465,000 and ordered him to appear at 2 p.m. Wednesday for a preliminary hearing.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.