LIHUE — The man allegedly wielding a knife in a September fight outside a Hanalei restaurant was charged with two counts of assault Wednesday.
Michael Beck, 28, of Moloa’a was charged via a Fifth Circuit grand jury indictment with one count of assault in the first degree and one count of assault in the second degree.
The court is issuing a warrant for Beck’s arrest, said Kim Tamaoka, spokeswoman for the Kauai Police Department.
A Sept. 16 fight outside Tahiti Nui sent Miles Davis Barsotti to the emergency room with multiple knife wounds.
Barsotti, 21, of Kilauea, wasn’t immediately available for comment, but his family members say they are looking forward to justice.
“We were a bit concerned when the detective was taking so long with the case,” said Paulina Ann Ka’aumoana, Barsotti’s mother, on Thursday.
She continued “The waiting game was making us feel like it was not going to be in our favor, so this is really a great step.”
Summer Rex, Barsotti’s older sister, said she and other family members hope to, at least, see Beck land in jail.
“I hope he’ll (Beck) be put in jail and fined so we can pay for my brother’s hospital bills,” Rex said. “We don’t even know how much that’ll cost yet.”
The indictment alleges that Beck intentionally or knowingly caused serious bodily injury to the victim in the incident — Barsotti — and also that Beck intentionally or knowingly caused bodily injury to the victim with a dangerous instrument.
Assault in the first degree is a class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and assault in the second degree is a class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison.
Details of the incident are under investigation. Police initially said the stabbing “appears to be an act of self defense.”
Witnesses said the incident may have started earlier that day, at a gas station where Barsotti and some friends were talking story with a woman they didn’t know.
They saw that same woman later that night at Tahiti Nui. Witnesses say they think that sparked a parking lot fight between Beck, Barsotti, and four of Barsotti’s friends.
Mahalo to KPD and the Prosecutor’s office for their work on this case. The specifics of the attack demonstrated an intent to kill according to the doctors treating the victim. It’s not a knife fight when only one person has a knife.
Like Makaala Kaaumoana said… It’s not a knife fight when only one person has a knife. Come on Garden Island try being a newspaper instead of a newsletter.