A 73-year-old old Iowa man will plead not guilty to assaulting a woman employee during Friday's takeover by a sovereignty group at 'Iolani Palace, his attorney said today.

Donald Alfred Love-Boltz of Lansing, Iowa, a retired Army man and self-proclaimed "USA patrolman," was charged by information today with second-degree assault, a move that superseded a scheduled preliminary hearing at District Court. The state Department of Attorney General is prosecuting Love-Boltz for allegedly causing injury to Betty Jean Noelani Ah Yuen, the facilities manager for the Friends of 'Iolani Palace.

According to an affidavit filed at District Court by George Y.H. Do, an investigator for the state attorney general, three witnesses identified Love-Boltz as the person who swung a heavy iron gate multiple times that struck Ah Yuen, causing her body to be smashed between the heavy iron gate and a concrete pillar. Ah Yuen suffered back and neck injuries, the affidavit stated.

The affidavit was filed in support of probable cause for the warrantless arrest of Love-Boltz and charges filed Sunday. By charging Love-Boltz by information, the state canceled the need for today's preliminary hearing for probable cause, which would likely have required the three witnesses, unidentified in the affidavit, and possibly Ah Yuen to testify.

Love-Boltz was taken to the Halawa Correctional Facility to be processed again for second-degree assault. He is free on $5,000 bail pending his arraignment and plea, which will occur within the next 20 days at Circuit Court.

Walter Rodby, Love-Boltz's attorney, expected there would be no preliminary hearing today, which would have allowed him to question witnesses.

"We will enter a plea of not guilty," Rodby said.

He continued, "The Honolulu Police Department enforces all laws of the state of Hawai'i. Had Mr. Love-Boltz violated any law, they would have arrested him to ensure the safety of everybody...Had there been an assault in front of (an HPD officer), he would have made an arrest. He did not make an arrest because there was no assault."

Deputy Attorney General Mark Miyahira is prosecuting Love-Boltz and probably the 22 others charged so far in connection with the takeover. Six people are charged with second-degree burglary and 16 others with criminal trespass.

Kippen de Alba Chu, executive director of 'Iolani Palace, announced today the state and city will increase security measures to protect the palace grounds and ensure the safety of employees and visitors.

"We have taken measures within the Palace to set up security ... and will continue to do so in the near future in close cooperation with various enforcement agencies," the executive director said in a written statement.