Honolulu police have charged a 30-year-old man in connection with a hammer attack that left a 31-year-old woman in critical condition.

Police arrested Kristopher Kalani on suspicion of second-degree attempted murder on Thursday morning after he allegedly beat his girlfriend with a hammer, causing severe injuries to her face and head.

Kalani was charged this afternoon and being held in lieu of $200,000 bail.

Court records contain ample evidence of the suspect’s violent past.

In March 2006, Kalani was arrested for allegedly assaulting a law-enforcement officer.

Four months later, he was arrested and charged in the beating death of 17-year-old Alexander Sabala. In that case, Kalani admitted to striking Sabala in the head during an altercation at the BK Superette in Nanakuli, causing Sabala to fall backward and hit his head on the pavement. Sabala died two months later.

Kalani pleaded guilty to first-degree assault and, in a deal with the state, received a concurrent five-year prison sentence for the earlier assault case.

Kalani was released from prison last year but was arrested again in November for multiple traffic offenses, including driving without a license.