Suspect charged with assault in road rage case prosecutors initially declined

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Months after prosecutors initially declined the case, a suspect has been charged with second-degree assault in the road rage beating of a 70-year-old Laie man.

Danielreid Aikau, 28, was released Friday from the sheriff’s booking station on Keawe Street after posting bail.

Aikau was initially arrested for assault in July, but was released without charges days later.

At that time, the city Prosecutor’s Office said it worked “closely with HPD on this matter and decided that there wasn’t enough evidence to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.”

But officials decided to take another look following public outcry.

Surveillance footage of the incident from a home in Laie Point shows the July 19 encounter.

In it, you can see a dark car apparently making a sudden U-turn in front of a white truck on a narrow road, causing the truck to make an abrupt stop. Moments later, there was a verbal exchange.

The dark car then pulled over to the side of the road and the suspect can be seen getting out of his car, immediately walking over to the white truck. Within seconds, the video shows the 70-year-old man falling to the ground as the suspect appears to punch him repeatedly.

Aikau’s attorney, Eric Seitz, says the video doesn’t tell the full story and that the 70-year-old followed his client and confronted him.

“My client is deeply embarrassed and very upset about an overreaction. He certainly takes responsibility for overreacting. But there are more facts in context,” Seitz said.

“The older gentleman also swore at him, although there’s no video, but we can demonstrate that. So, you know, we’re sorry about this incident, we want to do what’s right to repair it.”

Copyright 2022 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.