Posted on: Tuesday, June 14, 2005

Woman charged with stabbing husband at park

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

A 57-year-old woman has been charged with first-degree attempted assault in connection with the stabbing of her husband at Ala Moana Beach Park on Friday.

Lori Johnson-Sabate made her initial appearance in court yesterday and a preliminary hearing has been set for tomorrow in District Court. She is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail.

Johnson-Sabate is accused of stabbing her husband, Warren Sabate, twice in the stomach last week. Police said the couple lived in a van parked at the park when the stabbing occurred.

Witnesses told police that Warren Sabate was sleeping on the ground outside the van about 9 a.m. when the woman walked up to him and kicked him in the ribs. The woman, identified in court documents as Johnson-Sabate, then slapped Sabate in the face, the documents said.

Sabate then slapped his wife, and the two got into an argument, according to a police affidavit.

Johnson-Sabate walked to the van and returned with a knife, the affidavit said. She then stabbed Sabate twice in the stomach, the affidavit said.

Sabate was able to walk across the street to the Magic Island parking lot and call 911 from a pay phone. He was taken to The Queen's Medical Center in critical condition.

Police said they found Johnson-Sabate near the van, smelling of alcohol, and arrested her.

Johnson-Sabate told officers that she was the victim in the case, according to the affidavit.

"He woke me up again," she told police. "He started punching and kicking me. He won't be able to do that to me again."

Reach Curtis Lum at culum@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8025.