The girlfriend of a 26-year-old local musician told police he tried to strangle her twice before attempting to stab her in the neck and stomach last week, but his knife hit her knee instead, according to a police affidavit filed in Honolulu District Court.
Kaipo Kapua was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and kidnapping Friday. Prosecutors later charged him with second-degree assault, two counts of terroristic threatening and abuse. He is in custody unable to post $50,000 bail.
According to the affidavit, Sara Wilson, 23, who said she has been living with Kapua at a Kahaluu home for the past two years, said they were arguing in the bedroom at 9 a.m. Thursday when he tried to strangle her and she "blacked out."
Later, when the confrontation moved to the bathroom, Kapua tried again to strangle her while threatening to kill her with a kitchen knife. Kapua told Wilson she would not leave their Mapele Road home alive, according to the affidavit.
Wilson told police that Kapua attempted to stab her in the throat. When she deflected the knife, Kapua then tried to stab her in the stomach but struck her right knee instead.
The affidavitsaid that although Kapua did not let Wilson call 911 for an ambulance, he did take her to Castle Memorial Medical Center to be treated.
Wilson, fearing what Kapua might do, said she told emergency room doctors that her injury was caused by a fall.
The couple, who have a child together, returned to their home where Wilson said she fell asleep after taking medicine prescribed by hospital doctors.
She said she tried to flee after she woke up at 11:30 p.m. Thursday, but Kapua again threatened her with a knife while she stood in front of her car. After Wilson escaped and reported the incident to Kaneohe police, Kapua was arrested at their home at 1:54 a.m. Friday.
In 2010 Kapua pleaded no contest to a third-degree assault charge. He was ordered to pay a $150 fine and $2,026 in restitution, according to court records.
In April police issued a CrimeStoppers bulletin for Kapua, who had disappeared for a day. Friends reported his disappearance after he had an argument with a girlfriend and hadn’t been seen for nearly 24 hours, according to media reports.
