Hearing set for Walmart assailant accused of stabbing man

HILO — A 32-year-old homeless man who, according to witnesses, wielded a knife during a confrontation in the Hilo Walmart parking lot, stabbed the victim three times in the face and head, according to court documents filed by police.

The victim, 34-year-old Helani Kenui of Hilo, left the parking lot and went to Hilo Medical Center for treatment for his wounds. Kenui told police he “felt pain of an 8 on a scale of 1 to 10,” documents state.

Kenui reportedly told police he had been in a verbal confrontation with David James Nall, and Nall told him, “I’m gonna kill you (expletive), see you in jail, kill you when I see you in jail!”

Nall also allegedly caused damage to the rear passenger side window and taillight of the victim’s vehicle with the knife, documents state.

Walmart employees detained Nall. One, Wayne Yamashita, reportedly disarmed Nall.

Nall, who also suffered lacerations to his face, was charged with second-degree assault, second-degree terroristic threatening, fourth-degree criminal property damage and disorderly conduct.

The damage to Nall’s face was apparent during his initial court appearance Monday. Nall’s court-appointed attorney, Ivan Van Leer, told Hilo District Judge Harry Freitas, Walmart employees “were sitting on top of him so he couldn’t move.”

Van Leer requested his client be freed from jail on supervised release.

Deputy Prosecutor Glenn Shiigi requested Nall’s $3,500 bail be maintained, saying he couldn’t confirm a residence for him, that Nall had two prior contempt of court convictions in Hawaii, that he is on two-year probation for domestic abuse, and has six prior felony convictions in Oregon.

Freitas maintained Nall’s bail and ordered him to appear for a preliminary hearing at 2 p.m. Wednesday.

Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.