Man, 45, is held without bail in downtown Honolulu attempted murder; victim in critical condition

A 39-year-old man remains in critical condition after he sustained life-threatening injuries when another man allegedly set him on fire in downtown Honolulu while he was sleeping, according to court documents.

William Del Michael Woods, 45, is being held without bail on a second-degree attempted murder charge after he was accused of setting the victim on fire while he was sleeping in the alcove of the See Dai Doo Society building at 1300 Pali Highway early Wednesday.

The victim sustained severe burns to his face, mouth, head, neck, right arm and both eyes. In court documents, police said: “His injuries created substantial risk of death and would cause serious disfigurement.”

As of Friday night, the victim was still in critical condition as he remains intubated and sedated at Straub Medical Center.

Court documents detailing the alleged fire attack indicated Woods called police the night before May 12 to report the other man allegedly touched a mutual female acquaintance inappropriately while they were at her apartment.

Police said the men are acquaintances.

The woman reported to police that Woods and the other man came over after she offered them food and an opportunity to take a shower.

Both men are described to be homeless and that Woods lives in his vehicle.

At some point later that night, the woman alleged the 39-year-old man inappropriately touched her at which time she demanded the men to leave. They complied.

The next morning, approximately two hours before the alleged fire attack, court documents said the woman received texts from Woods that said he was upset with the way the other man treated her and that he “will make that guy pay in blood.”

Surveillance video camera footage showed the 39-year-old man sleeping when another male clad in a black tank top, black shorts and a blue bandana threw a Molotov cocktail toward him shortly after 3:10 a.m. When it didn’t ignite, police said the suspect lit a rag and threw it on him. He then walked away when the victim sat up.

Just after 5:45 a.m., surveillance footage showed a male in a maroon hooded sweater pour liquid onto the victim and ignited it with a blow torch. The suspect then fled the scene.

The victim ran across the front of the building and collapsed on the ground as others attempted to help extinguish the flames.

Several hours later, police located Woods at Dole Community Park in the Makiki-Lower Punchbowl area when he denied setting the victim on fire.

Police executed a search warrant of his vehicle Friday where they found a blow torch and clothing that resembled the suspect’s clothing seen in the surveillance footage.