Posted on: Thursday, May 5, 2005

Twelve felonies charged in hostage ordeal

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

A man who police said terrorized four people during a 14-hour hostage ordeal Monday was charged yesterday afternoon with 12 felony counts, including attempted murder and kidnapping.

William Alston, 39, was charg-ed with one count of second-degree attempted murder, four counts each of kidnapping and first-degree terroristic threatening, two counts of first-degree sexual assault and one count of third-degree sexual assault. Alston also was charged with misdemeanor assault and abuse of a household member.

Bail was set at $150,000 and Alston is expected to make his first appearance in court today.

Police said the bizarre events began when Alston's wife returned to an 18th-floor apartment at 155 North Beretania St. at about 2 a.m. Monday. Alston was in the apartment waiting for her and the two began to argue, police said.

A 65-year-old man, who police said leases the apartment, told Alston to leave. But Alston refused and the man went into his kitchen to call security, according to a police affidavit released yesterday.

Alston followed the man, grabbed a knife and stabbed the man in the hand, upper thigh and torso, the affidavit said. Alston then tied the man up, doused him with alcohol and set him on fire as the man attempted to run away, the affidavit said.

The man, who police said suffered burns to his hands and upper torso, freed himself but was tied to a closet area by Alston, who also tied up the three other people in the apartment and repeatedly threatened to kill them, the affidavit said.

Police said Alston went to his wife and beat her with an iron bar. He then sexually assaulted her, the affidavit said.

Alston then turned his attention to a 49-year-old woman and punched her in the back of the head, the affidavit said. He then kicked the woman and forced her to have sex with him, according to the affidavit.

Another man, 54, was tied up, but not physically harmed, police said. He told police that he was released by Alston after telling him that he was diabetic and about to pass out.

Alston then told his wife to go downstairs and get some vegetable juice and candy bars for the man. The woman was able to flag down a police officer and tell him what was going on in the apartment.

Police went to the apartment and arrested Alston without incident at about 3:45 p.m.

Alston was supposed to go on trial in District Court last week on a misdemeanor domestic-abuse charge for allegedly punching his wife in the face March 13.

The trial was delayed until June 20, however, after Alston told a District Court judge that he had not contacted the state public defender's office to represent him, although he had been instructed to do so.

Court records show that Alston has 35 criminal convictions dating back to 1986, 28 of which are for misdemeanor or petty misdemeanor offenses. Two of the misdemeanor convictions, both in 2000, were for domestic abuse, and Alston's wife was the victim in one of those cases, Kim said.

Alston's felony convictions, which date back to 1986, include those for promotion of dangerous drugs, terroristic threatening and car theft.

Staff writer David Waite contributed to this report. Reach Curtis Lum at culum@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8025.