LIHU‘E — A Koloa man was charged Wednesday with one count of attempted murder and two counts of felony assault among a range of charges leveled against him in an ‘Ele‘ele double stabbing.
At the preliminary hearing for Kristofer Bush, 33, victims of the stabbing described the chaotic scene leading up to the April 10 assault, in which the defendant allegedly nearly hit a group of people with his car, smashed the victim’s car windows and used pepper spray on the victims’ family.
Blossom Kanahele, 26, said in court that she was hanging out with four family members on the lawn outside of her mother’s house on Ahe Street in ‘Ele‘ele when Bush called her, asking where she was. She and Bush, the father of her four children, had argued earlier in the day.
Bush arrived shortly after, Kanahele said, driving recklessly close to the family in a 2003 Toyota Prius.
“We thought he was going to run over us,” Kanahele said.
Kanahele said she confronted Bush about the reckless driving, and Bush laughed at her.
The timeline of events was unclear from the preliminary hearing, but both Kanahele and her brother Connor Kanahele, 21, testified that shortly after Bush arrived, he pulled a can of pepper spray from his pocket and used it on the family.
“It burnt, my whole face,” said Blossom Kanahele. “I could only see black shadows. I could see a little bit, but it burnt when I opened my eyes.”
They also testified that Bush smashed the windows out of Blossom Kanahele’s car.
Connor Kanahele said that, at some point, he engaged in a physical confrontation with Bush, during which he landed a punch on the defendant and was stabbed in the arm.
“I didn’t notice I was cut until after,” Connor Kanahele said.
Connor Kanahele showed the 1-inch cut to the court Tuesday, which had been patched with four stitches.
Blossom Kanahele reported that Bush chased her and grabbed her from behind, telling her “you’re not going to get away with this.”
She described falling to her knees, holding her arms up to defend herself, and feeling being struck on her upper chest.
Connor Kanahele said that, after he witnessed the attack, he heard the defendant say “your sister’s cut, help her.”
Kaua‘i Police Department officer Chantel Villatora testified that she arrived at the scene after the stabbing, describing a chaotic situation where she observed injuries on both Kanaheles.
The victims were transported to Wilcox Medical Center.
According to prosecutors, Blossom Kanahele required critical care and could have died without medical treatment. She remained in the hospital for several days.
Officers apprehended Bush on the Westside the day after the stabbing.
KPD Detective Jason Matsuoka searched Bush’s vehicle on April 19, discovering three knives and two cans of pepper spray.
The knives were tested for the presence of blood and came back negative.
Based on the testimonies heard, Judge Michael Soong determined that the state established probable cause for three felonies, including attempted murder. Bush was also charged with three counts of abuse of family or household member, criminal property damage in the fourth degree, resisting an order to stop a motor vehicle in the second degree and prohibitions against obnoxious substances (the pepper spray).
If convicted of the attempted-murder offense, Bush could face a sentence of life in prison. He is currently being held on $500,000 bail.
Prior to the assault, Blossom Kanahele and Bush had been together for eight years. She said that the family usually gets along with him.
“We still love him,” Blossom Kanahele said of the defendant at the hearing. “We forgive him for everything.”
Bush’s next appearance in Circuit Court is scheduled for May 3 before Judge Randal Valenciano.
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Guthrie Scrimgeour, reporter, can be reached at 647-0329 or gscrimgeour@thegardenisland.com.
