By JOHN BURNETT Tribune-Herald staff writer ADVERTISING A witness to a fatal fight outside a Hilo bar told police that he was struck repeatedly by the suspect in that case and that he was choked and restrained by the suspect’s
By JOHN BURNETT
Tribune-Herald staff writer
A witness to a fatal fight outside a Hilo bar told police that he was struck repeatedly by the suspect in that case and that he was choked and restrained by the suspect’s half-brother.
According to court documents filed by police, Clyde Lewis said Waylen Carenio “struck him with numerous right closed fists and backhands while he was being choked and held down by Turner Au …”
The 21-year-old Carenio has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter for the death of Roy Williams, 44, of Mountain View, who died Dec. 4 after an early-morning brawl outside Karma Hawaii sports bar in Hilo. Witnesses told police that Williams fell during the affray and struck his head on the pavement. They identified Carenio, an amateur mixed martial arts fighter, as the other combatant.
Au, 24, is Carenio’s half-brother and has also fought in at least one amateur MMA event.
Lewis told police that Carenio drove up to him shortly before midnight on Feb. 1 in the parking lot of Coqui’s Hideaway restaurant and sports bar and told him to get into the car to “talk stories.” Lewis said that after he got into the front passenger seat and closed the door, Carenio asked him what he told the court on Jan. 29.
“After Lewis informed Carenio he told the court everything, Carenio immediately struck him with a closed right backhand in his abdomen and told him that he better not show up to the next court (hearing) to testify against him,” the documents stated. Lewis told police that Au, who was in the car’s back seat, struck him “with closed fists to his right temple and head area” while Carenio “was striking him with closed right fists to his left rib area and face area causing pain.”
Lewis reportedly told police that he managed to escape despite attempts by Carenio and Au to prevent him from getting out of the car. He was treated for his injuries at Hilo Medical Center and released.
According to police, Lewis identified both Carenio and Au from photographs.
Police have recovered the 1999 Saturn four-door sedan Carenio was allegedly driving.
Carenio and Au made brief appearances Wednesday afternoon in Hilo District Court and pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping, third-degree assault, intimidating a witness and retaliating against a witness. Judge Barbara Takase ordered them to return at 2 p.m. today for a preliminary hearing. Both men remain in custody in lieu of $71,000 bail.
Carenio is scheduled to stand trial on the manslaughter charge April 2 at 8:30 a.m. in Hilo Circuit Court.
Cathy Williams, the slain man’s younger sister, and Angelina Phillips, Williams’ niece, were in court to view Wednesday’s proceedings, as were relatives of the defendants. Also in the gallery was Jeremy Costa, who is accused of making online threats against security personnel at Kamehameha Schools-Hawaii campus in Keaau.
As a state sheriff’s deputy escorted the handcuffed and shackled Carenio out of the courtroom, Costa, 18, who is free on bail and was in court on a matter unrelated to the Kamehameha incident, shouted: “Waylen, love you, bruddah!”
Email John Burnett at
jburnett@hawaiitribune-
herald.com.
