Kawelo Charged After Alleged Garage Kidnapping in Honolulu
Authorities set bail at $500,000 for a 23-year-old man accused of dragging a woman from a condo garage during a midday incident.
By Elena Vargas ·
Diesel Makanikaiaulu Kawelo, 23, appeared in court on Wednesday to face a kidnapping charge linked to a violent incident at the Kainalu condominiums in Honolulu. Prosecutors sought a high financial bond following the arrest, and a judge set his bail at $500,000.
Police responded to the complex on Monday afternoon after receiving reports of a kidnapping. Surveillance footage captured a truck parked near the entrance before a man entered the garage area. The video shows him confronting two women and physically moving one of them toward the vehicle.
A 77-year-old resident, who requested anonymity, stated that the suspect picked up her 24-year-old friend during the struggle. She described the man as shoving her away before lifting the younger woman. "He looked like a monster. He just had so much hatred and craziness in his eyes," she said.
The resident continued, "I was yelling, 'Help! Help!' and she was yelling, too. She was saying, 'You don't want to do this. Don't do this.'" According to police, the suspect also elbowed the 77-year-old woman in the face during the encounter.
Neighbors who witnessed the event from outside the garage intervened after hearing the commotion. Beverly Louis, a nearby resident, observed the man bear-hugging the woman and dragging her toward the back of the truck. "I just started screaming, 'Drop her! Drop her! Drop her!'" Louis recalled. "She was screaming for her life. She was terrified."
Mike Finkelstein, another witness, yelled that he had called police and was coming down to assist. "Let her go. I've called the police. I'm coming down there after you," Finkelstein said. Several residents helped the 24-year-old break free from the suspect's grip before he fled in his truck.
Police located Kawelo a few hours later in a nearby neighborhood, where witnesses reported seeing him running naked. The 77-year-old resident said she and her friend are continuing to experience nightmares, while the neighborhood remains vigilant in the aftermath of the event.
Source: KPTV
