Howard I. Giddens, 27, the Hanamaulu man who allegedly killed one man and wounded another Monday in a shooting rampage, was scheduled to be arraigned this morning at Kaua`i County Courthouse on charges that could put him behind bars for
Howard I. Giddens, 27, the Hanamaulu man who allegedly killed one man and
wounded another Monday in a shooting rampage, was scheduled to be arraigned
this morning at Kaua`i County Courthouse on charges that could put him behind
bars for the rest of his life.
Giddens, who has remained in Kaua`i
Community Correctional Center in lieu of $500,000 bail since being arrested
Monday, faces a half-dozen charges, according to authorities.
The most
serious is attempted murder in the first degree, (attempting to cause the death
of more than one person), which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison
with no possibility of parole. Hawai`i doesn’t have the death
penalty.
Giddens is also to be charged with murder in the second degree in
connection with the death of 42-year-old Colan Fernandes of Hanamaulu, who was
shot in the head Monday.
In addition, authorities said Giddens would be
charged with attempted murder in the second degree. Kaua’i Police said another
man, whose identity was still being withheld Wednesday by authorities, was shot
and wounded at Hanamaulu Beach Park minutes before Fernandes was killed in the
house he shared with his mother at 4286 Ho`ohana St. The wounded man was listed
in fair condition at Wilcox Memorial Hospital yesterday.
Giddens is also to
be charged with:
l Failing to keep a loaded firearm in a proper
manner.
l Reckless endangerment in the first degree.
l And criminal
property damage in the first degree, for shooting into homes on Ho`ohana Street
and into parked cars.
Giddens had no prior criminal convictions before his
alleged armed outburst Monday morning.
Authorities haven’t commented
officially yet whether drugs were a factor in the shootings.
Staff
writer Dennis Wilken can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) and
dwilken@pulitzer.net
