KEALAKEKUA — A 34-year-old man charged with attempted murder in a brutal beating called 911 to report the incident, telling dispatchers to get officers to the scene “before I (expletive) kill him.”
KEALAKEKUA — A 34-year-old man charged with attempted murder in a brutal beating called 911 to report the incident, telling dispatchers to get officers to the scene “before I (expletive) kill him.”
Prosecutors played the 2 1/2-minute 911 call that drew gasps, “ohs” and “wows” from the courtroom Monday as they worked successfully to prove the state had probable cause to support charges of first-degree attempted murder and first-degree assault filed against Anthony “Tony” Beaudet-Close in connection with the Oct. 28 beating of a 39-year-old man who remains hospitalized.
Shylene Larson, a victim counselor for the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, said as of Monday that the victim remained hospitalized at The Queen’s Medical Center on Oahu and “is considered unresponsive.”
Detective Walter Ah Mow with the Hawaii Police Department’s Area II Criminal Investigations Section said doctors at Queen’s said the victim suffered a “traumatic brain injury, a subdural hematoma causing coma, and multiple facial fractures.”
Beaudet-Close appeared Monday for a preliminary hearing in the case, during which Kona District Court Judge Margaret Masunaga found probable cause to transfer the case to Circuit Court for further proceedings. An arraignment and plea hearing are slated for Nov. 23.
In the 911 recording, after dispatchers ask if police, fire or medics are needed several times, groaning, breathing and other unintelligible sounds can be heard before a man’s voice yells, “(Victim’s name), you (expletive) pigeon, (expletive) you’re a (expletive) scrub, (unintelligible) and a (expletive) rapist.” Then, the sound of 911 being dialed is heard and the heavy breathing resumes until the man says “where are the (expletive) cops?”
Again, the dispatcher asks what assistance is needed, at which point Beaudet-Close informs police about the incident near the Aloha Gas Station on Henry Street in Kailua-Kona.
“I need more than (expletive) police, it’s a fugitive,” he said, to which the dispatcher informs him officers were on the way. “He’s unconscious, he’s (expletive) a parole violating (expletive) rape artist (expletive) drug (expletive) dealing (expletive).”
After dispatchers ask why the person is unconscious, the man responds, “I knocked him the (expletive) out.” Prodding, the female dispatcher asks his name to which he responds, “who cares, get over here now before I (expletive) kill him.”
The dispatcher tells the man he is being recorded, and continues to prod him for his name without success before Beaudet-Close says, “I want them here right now police for this (expletive) to (expletive) serve his time. (expletive) telling me he going kill me.”
He eventually gives his first name, Anthony, before the call ends.
Ah Mow said police identified Beaudet-Close as the suspect after officers determined he went to Laverne’s Sports Bar covered in blood and made contact with a bouncer and liquor control worker there after the attack.
He interviewed Beaudet-Close on Nov. 7 at the Kona Police Station, at which time Beaudet-Close told Ah Mow he had parked his car near the minimart and was looking for his sister’s friend regarding a moped when someone called out to him to fight. Beaudet-Close told Ah Mow that the man made threats toward his girlfriend and her son.
“At that point, Tony said (victim’s name) brandished a knife and lunged at him and he punched (the victim) and (the victim) fell down,” Ah Mow testified, noting that Beaudet-Close said he managed to kick the knife out of the victim’s hand before continuing to kick him before calling 911.
Beaudet-Close said he fled the scene when officers arrived because he was scared. Ah Mow said police have not recovered a knife and have yet to corroborate or confirm the victim made the alleged threats.
Matthew LoSasso, who lives in a building at the end of Kalawa Street overlooking the area of Henry Street and the gas station, also testified Monday about what he witnessed about 9:30 p.m. that night. He told the court he was drawn outside twice because of loud yelling by one person.
When the yelling continued, he went outside for a third time, and said he saw a man in a red shirt nearing the area, which prompted him to grab his binoculars from inside the house. But, by the time he returned, no more than 30 seconds later, the man in the red shirt was gone.
Police have yet to identify or question the red-shirted man, Ah Mow said later during the hearing, “even ‘til now, I am looking for any witnesses to come forward.”
Beaudet-Close remains in custody in lieu of $150,000. He has 13 convictions dating to 2004 including second-degree assault of a law enforcement officer in 2013, resisting arrest and first-degree promoting a detrimental drug in 2011, third-degree promoting a detrimental drug in 2009 and unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle in 2006. The remaining convictions are for contempt of court or failure to appear.
Email Chelsea Jensen at cjensen@westhawaiitoday.com.