KAILUA-KONA, Hawai‘i — A Honoka‘a man made an initial court appearance on Friday after being charged with assault in the second degree following a weapons incident at Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area.
Gimmy Palafox Ventura, 32, was in Kona District Court where per diem Judge David Harada-Stone granted him supervised release with special terms and conditions, including a mental health assessment. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Nov. 2.
Ventura was arrested last week after Hawai‘i Police Department detectives executed search warrants on Ventura’s residence and vehicle, a 2023 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck, at the 4500 block of Ohia Street in Honoka‘a.
The search warrants resulted in the recovery of two arrows located in Ventura’s bedroom. A crossbow, six additional arrows, numerous arrow tips and fletching were all recovered from Ventura’s vehicle.
The search warrants stemmed from an incident at approximately 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 6 at the northern end of the main parking lot at Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area.
A 31-year-old female reported she had been shot while walking back to her vehicle in the parking lot.
As she approached her vehicle, she heard what sounded like a gunshot in the immediate area and initially did not know she had been injured. A short time later, she realized she suffered a large bleeding laceration to her left bicep.
She immediately left the area in her vehicle and called for medical and police assistance. Hawai‘i Police Department officers located the victim in the area of Kawaihae Road and Akulani Road and observed an arrow lodged within the driver’s side rear quarter panel. The length and type of arrow was determined to be consistent with arrows designed for use in crossbows.
The victim was transported by Hawai‘i Fire Department personnel to the Queen’s North Hawai‘i Community Hospital, where she was treated for her injuries and later released.
The arrow that had been lodged in the victim’s vehicle was later removed, recovered and sent to the Honolulu Police Department Scientific Investigation Section for DNA analysis. On Oct. 5, a DNA match was returned from the shaft of the arrow and the contributor was identified as Ventura, who was later arrested.
After conferring with the County of Hawaii Prosecutor’s Office, detectives with the Area II Criminal Investigation Section charged Ventura with assault in the second degree and bail was set at $2,000.
