Four sent to hospital in Friday fracas

Four people were hospitalized after a brawl Friday afternoon on Rainbow Drive in Hilo involving knives and a baseball bat.

At abount 2:06 p.m. Friday, Hilo patrol officers responded to the report of two men were reported fighting in the roadway with one of the men holding a bat. As officers responded, it was reported that someone was stabbed and that two men were seen leaving the scene in a pickup truck.

Upon arrival, officers learned that a 28-year-old Hilo woman was knocked unconscious after being struck in the head by the bat by one of the men in the truck. In addition, a 28-year-old Hilo man reported that a pickup truck with two men and a juvenile boy drove up to him and the woman.

The male victim said that, in addition to the woman being struck by a bat-wielding assailant, he was stabbed in the right leg by one of the men as he was rendering aid to the unconscious woman. Poilice say the man told them he defended himself with a knife and the two male suspects got back into the pickup truck and left.

The man and woman were taken by ambulance to Hilo Medical Center, where they were treated and released.

As officers were investigating, they received word that two men arrived at Hilo Medical Center Emergency Room in a pickup truck, both saying they had been stabbed. East Hawaii Criminal Investigation Section detectives responded to both the scene and the hospital.

The two men in the truck both underwent surgery for their injuries and remain hospitalized in stable condition. The truck was recovered as evidence.

The juvenile was interviewed by detectives and released to a family member.

As of this time, there have been no arrests as detectives continue to investigate.