HILO — Two Puna men entered not guilty pleas Tuesday in Hilo Circuit Court, one to charges stemming from a July 30 gun battle at a lower Puna beach park, another to an unrelated accusation that he sexually assaulted an underage girl.
Rodney E. Wilbur Sr. pleaded not guilty to attempted second-degree murder, carrying a firearm in the commission of a commission of a separate felony, prohibited ownership or possession of a firearm and illegally carrying a handgun.
Acting Hilo Circuit Judge Harry Freitas ordered Wilbur to appear for trial at 9 a.m. Feb. 20, 2018, before Hilo Circuit Judge Greg Nakamura.
Wilbur, who’s accused of shooting 35-year-old Gerard Kawelo of Pahoa in the head during what police say was an armed confrontation between two groups of men at Isaac Hale Beach Park in Pohoiki, is free on $275,000 bail.
Police Lt. Miles Chong said Kawelo is still hospitalized in critical condition at The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu.
A 36-year-old Pahoa man, Tyson Lewi, is accused of shooting Wilbur’s son, 27-year-old Rodney Wilbur Jr., and 25-year-old Austin Aiwohi, both of Mountain View, during the same shootout.
Aiwohi and Wilbur Jr. were taken to Hilo Medical Center for treatment of their injuries. Both have since been released.
Lewi’s trial on attempted murder charges is scheduled for 9 a.m. Dec. 4 and he remains in custody at Hawaii Community Correctional Center in lieu of $550,000 bail.
In an unrelated case, 38-year-old Christopher R. Laboy pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree sexual assault and single counts of third-degree sexual assault and marijuana possession.
Freitas ordered Laboy, who’s accused of providing marijuana to the minor on Aug. 8 in Puna before performing sex acts on her, to appear for trial at 9 a.m. Jan. 8, 2018, before Nakamura.
He also ordered Laboy, who’s free on on $51,000 bail, to stay at least 100 yards away from the minor, her home and school.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.