Posted on: Friday, June 1, 2001

Court hearing continues in anti-gay attack

By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Kaua‘i Bureau

LIHU'E, Kaua'i — A preliminary hearing for two men charged with attacks on campers at Polihale State Beach Park was recessed after three hours yesterday and will continue today.

Eamonn Carolan, 18, of Koloa and Orion Macomber, 19, of Lawa'i, are accused of a series of pre- dawn attacks on a group of gay campers.

Carolan, a community college student, is charged with 10 counts, including attempted murder, assault, criminal property damage and breaking into cars.

Macomber, a laborer, has been charged with 11 similar counts.

Each is in custody in lieu of $250,000 bail. Their attorneys have asked the court to reduce the bail.

Deputy prosecuting attorney Craig De Costa said witnesses in the 3:30 a.m. attacks recounted a series of events, starting with the sounds of their car doors being opened and closed, apparently while objects were being taken from the vehicles.

Then a tent, with one person sleeping inside, was doused with a flammable substance and set afire. Later, another tent was drenched in fuel, but not ignited. The campers in the tents were able to get out without serious injury.

One camper was threatened by a man swinging a bamboo stick, De Costa said. And later, as the campers gathered at a dirt road near the campsite, they were forced to jump out of the way repeatedly as a truck was driven toward them, they said.

De Costa said witnesses reported hearing anti-gay threats as the vehicle drove by.

One of the campers took a photo of the truck as it approached. The photo shows a license plate number.

De Costa said police located the suspects the same morning, sleeping in a truck with the same license number.