A doctor charged with attempting to murder his wife while they were hiking in Hawaii has been denied bail by a judge in Maui.
Anesthesiologist Gerhardt Konig had previously pleaded not guilty following allegations that he had attempted to murder his wife on a Honolulu hiking trail.
In his denying motion, Judge Paul Wong said the 46-year-old is a danger to the victim and presents a genuine flight risk. He also noted that there's evidence that he hid from the police.
In a successful petition for a temporary restraining order against Konig, his wife wrote that her husband had pushed her towards the edge of a cliff, attempted to stab her with syringes, and bashed her head with a rock on a popular Honolulu hiking trail.
The petition claims her husband asked her to take a selfie on a cliff edge before he began pushing her and shouting. The pair allegedly wrestled, and Konig reached for a syringe from his bag.
“I do not know what was in the syringe, but Gerhardt is an anesthesiologist and has access to several potentially lethal medications as part of his employment,” the petition said.
After Konig appeared to calm down, his wife claims that he grabbed a nearby rock and "began bashing me repeatedly on the head with it".
She claims the attack stopped after two fellow hikers appeared and called 911. Konig allegedly fled the scene while his wife received medical treatment.
Afterwards, the petition says that Konig called his adult son and confessed to the crime, a claim backed by prosecutors who, in a court filing, said Konig faces "a realistic prospect of life imprisonment," after he told his son that he "tried to kill your step-mom".
Prosecutors claim he turned his phone off and hid in the bushes to avoid police. It's not yet clear when the trail will begin.
The Pali Puka trail near Honolulu's Pali lookout is currently closed for safety reasons. The trek offers breathtaking views of the island and remains popular despite a sign that reads: 'Area Closed! Do not go beyond this sign'.
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