VOLCANO, HI – Hawai’i Island Police have arrested and charged Dante F. Modaffari, 44, of Mountain View, with first-degree assault and abuse of a family/household member following a violent attack on his brother on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, in the Lehuanani subdivision of Volcano.
Police responded to a call shortly before 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday reporting a disturbance on Lehuanani Street. Upon arrival, officers found the 42-year-old victim with severe lacerations to his arms, bleeding profusely. The victim stated that his brother, Modaffari, had attacked him with a machete and fled the scene on foot. Officers provided immediate medical aid to the victim, who was then transported by Hawai’i Fire Department ambulance to Hilo Benioff Medical Center for emergency surgery due to life-threatening injuries. A search for Modaffari commenced immediately.
On Thursday, February 13, 2025, Puna patrol officers located him on a vacant property near the scene of the crime and took him into custody without incident. Detectives from the Area I Juvenile Aid Section subsequently executed a search warrant on the property where Modaffari was apprehended and recovered potential evidence related to the assault.
Following consultation with the County of Hawai’i Prosecutors Office, Modaffari was formally charged on Friday, February 14, 2025, with first-degree assault and abuse of a family/household member. His bail was set at $55,000, and he remains in police custody pending his initial court appearance scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, February 18, 2025, in Hilo District Court.
Police are urging anyone who may have witnessed the incident to contact Detective Richard Itliong of the Area I Juvenile Aid Section at (808) 961-2278 or via email at Richard.Itliong@hawaiicounty.gov.
Anonymous tips can be submitted through Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300. Tipsters may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program dedicated to keeping the community safe and guarantees confidentiality. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.
