A man who allegedly took part in the Monday evening beating of three teenage boys captured on video at a Keaukaha beach park was identified as 45-year-old Lanakila Poaha of Hilo, according to court documents filed by police.
Poaha was the first of six individuals arrested and charged for the violent affray that occurred at about 6:45 p.m. at James Kealoha Beach Park, also known as “Four Mile.” He’s charged with second-degree robbery, second-degree theft, third-degree assault and disorderly conduct.
The strong-arm robbery charge — a Class B felony punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment upon conviction — is for the alleged forcible ripping of a 14-karat gold chain off the neck of one of the juveniles, a 17-year-old boy. The boy was taken to Hilo Medical Center emergency room, where he was treated for lacerations to his forehead, left shoulder and left ear, and a bruised and swollen right eye.
Poaha requested a lawyer and declined to answer questions from detectives, according to documents.
Police say the other two juveniles, a 17-year-old boy and 16-year-old boy, declined medical treatment at the scene, but had visible injuries.
Poaha, who has no prior felony convictions, made his initial court appearance Thursday.
Deputy Public Defender Evans Smith requested Poaha be freed on supervised release — a form of cashless bail — or that bail be reduced, and Deputy Prosecutor Rich Kuhlmann objected.
Hilo District Judge Kanani Laubach maintained Poaha’s bail at $37,000 and ordered that he return for a preliminary hearing Monday.
Poaha remained in custody in Hawaii Community Correctional Center as of late Thursday afternoon.
Five other men were charged later and are scheduled to make their initial court appearances this afternoon. They are:
• Cy Poaha, 21, of Hilo, the son of Lanakila Poaha, is charged with two counts each of first-degree unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle and third-degree assault, plus a single count of disorderly conduct. His bail was set at $25,000.
• Joshua Godbolt, 40 of Kurtistown, is charged with two counts each of first-degree unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle and third-degree assault, plus a single count of disorderly conduct. His bail was set at $25,000.
• Alize Godbolt, 18, of Kurtistown, the son of Joshua Godbolt, is charged with first-degree unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle, two counts of third-degree assault plus single counts of first-degree property damage and disorderly conduct. His bail was set at $40,000.
• Justin Godbolt-Agustin, 24, of Kurtistown, the son of Joshua Godbolt, is charged with first-degree unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle, third-degree assault and disorderly conduct. His bail was set at $13,000.
• Micah Castro was charged with, first-degree unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle, third-degree assault and disorderly conduct. His bail was set at $13,000.
A cellphone video shows the assailants swarming the car the victims were in, a 2015 Honda sedan driven by the teenage girlfriend of one of the victims.
One of the attackers bashed out the rear windshield of the car with a baseball bat.
The driver had left the car to go to the restroom when the assault took place, according to the teenage girl’s mother, Astania Caputo.
In addition to the broken windshield, damage to the car includes a flat tire and multiple dents, police said.
Caputo said none of the minors did anything to provoke the assault and described the experience for the teens as “pretty traumatic.”
“All I know is these are a car full of innocent kids. It’s crazy. It’s crazy.”
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.