By Peter Boylan
Copyright staradvertiser
A 27-year-old man arrested four times in the last 18 months was charged with felony assault today for breaking a 69-year-old man’s nose in a bathroom ambush on Sept. 1.
The Department of the Prosecuting Attorney secured an indictment of Helkena Carland from an Oahu grand jury. Carland is charged with assault in the first degree in connection with the attack in the men’s bathroom at the Ross Dress for Less store in Waikiki on Seaside Avenue.
“Elder abuse is a deplorable crime and we are committed to pursuing justice in this case,” said Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm, in a statement. “We strive to ensure that our community is safe, especially for our most vulnerable citizens. We would like to thank the Honolulu Police Department for their swift investigation in this case.”
Carland is facing a Class B felony and, if convicted, could spend up to 10 years in prison. Because the victim was over the age of 60, Carland is subject to enhanced sentencing, if convicted, which is a maximum of 20 years in prison, according to the DPA.
Carland is being held in lieu of $60,000 bail at the Oahu Community Correctional Center. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Justin Homma is handling the case.
Carland is accused of ambushing Manuel Lindayao, who was treated at The Queen’s Medical Center for severe right facial swelling, a broken nose, a hemorrhage and a concussion.
When Carland was arrested Wednesday, he was waiting to make a court appearance related to a Sept. 3 misdemeanor sexual assault case in which he is accused of grabbing and squeezing a woman’s buttocks in the men’s section of the Target store in Waikiki before trying to introduce himself, according to court records.
Carland was declared unfit for trial three times in the past 18 months and was undergoing a mental health assessment for the pending fourth-degree sexual assault case stemming from the Sept. 3 incident, which occurred two days after he allegedly attacked Lindayao.
Lindayao told police that when he walked into the restroom he saw Carland talking to himself. Lindayao was using a urinal when Carland allegedly punched him once in the face causing him to fall to the ground on his back.
Lindayao yelled for Carland to stop but Carland allegedly sat on Lindayo’s torso and punched him again in the face until he lost consciousness. Lindayao came to and saw police officers in the restroom.
