Grand jury indicts Ocean View man freed by judge

A Kona grand jury has indicted an Ocean View man in connection with the alleged violent kidnapping and abuse of a 27-year-old woman in Ocean View.

The four-count indictment issued May 7 charges Ian Benjamin Winther with kidnapping, domestic abuse aggravated by strangulation, first-degree terroristic threatening and third-degree assault.

On May 2, during Winther’s initial court appearance was freed on supervised release — a form of cashless bail — by Kona District Judge Kimberly Tsuchiya, Winther’s freedom was granted over the objection of prosecutors.

According to police, on April 29, officers responded to King Kalakaua Lane in Ocean View on a report of a woman who had been assaulted by an acquaintance. Police determined that the victim had been bound with duct tape and physically assaulted by Winther at a residence where she and Winther were staying.

The woman reported that Winther allowed her to free herself from the tape but continued to physically assault her and threatened to conduct lewd sexual acts on her. He then allegedly used rope to tie the victim to a chair and threatened her while he continued to physically assault her.

Winther left the house with the victim still tied to the chair, police said. The woman was able to free herself and summon help at a neighboring home.

The woman sustained non-life-threatening injuries and sought medical treatment on her own.

Winther was later arrested and a search warrant was conducted on the residence, resulting in the recovery of items believed to be used in the incident.

Winther was rearrested on Monday, and on Tuesday, he pleaded not guilty to charges in Kona Circuit Court.

His trial was set for November, and his bail was maintained at $143,000, according to county Prosecutor Kelden Waltjen.