Hawaii island police arrested and charged 32-year-old Jerome Leader of Hilo with assault and unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle following a violent incident in downtown Hilo that left a man seriously injured Thursday morning.

At about 11:08 a.m. Thursday, Hilo patrol officers responded to the area of Kilauea Avenue and Keawe Street after receiving a report of a man hit by a bat who was on the ground unconscious, bleeding from his face, a news release said.

Upon arrival, officers identified the victim as a 71-year-old Hilo man, who was immediately transported by Hawai‘i Fire Department medics to the Hilo Medical Center for treatment.

Witnesses reported observing Leader riding on the hood of the victim’s vehicle on Keawe Street with the victim pulling into a parking lot. The victim was then seen in a verbal altercation with Leader, which led to the victim chasing Leader with a small baseball bat. Witnesses then observed Leader reaching into the victim’s vehicle and running back toward Keawe Street with the victim pursuing him with the bat.

The victim was later contacted at the Hilo Medical Center and stated that Leader jumped on the hood of his vehicle at the intersection of Ponohawai Street and Kilauea Avenue after Leader disregarded the no walking signal at the intersection. The victim’s description of the assault matched that of witnesses.

The victim sustained substantial injuries to his face and spine and was transported to The Queen’s Medical Center on Oahu for advanced treatment.

On Friday morning, after conferring with the County Prosecutor’s Office, detectives with the Area I Criminal Investigation Section charged Leader with the following offenses:

>> First-degree assault

>> Unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle

His bail was set at $35,000.

Leader is currently being held at the East Hawai‘i Detention Center pending his initial court appearance scheduled for Monday at Hilo District Court.