A 64-year-old Arkansas man accused of sexually assaulting a woman in two separate incidents on Hawaii Island has been indicted by a Kona Circuit Court grand jury, and a judge has cut his bail from $300,000 to $55,000 while barring him from leaving the state or contacting the victim and her minor children.
Prosecutors informed Kona District Court on August 11 that Timothy Efird, of Hot Springs, Arkansas, had been indicted in Circuit Court, according to Big Island Now. The judge allowed Efird to post a reduced $55,000 surety bond and released him under conditions requiring him to remain in Hawaii and stay away from the victim and her children. The case had first been reported by Hawaii News Now, which detailed the original charges and the initial $300,000 bail set after Efird's arrest.
The case traces back to the early morning of July 31, when Efird reportedly sexually assaulted the victim at a residence in Kailua-Kona, per the outlet's original reporting. A second reported assault occurred the morning of August 4 at a condominium in the Waikoloa area, with police describing the victim as an adult female in both incidents.
How the Arrest Unfolded in Waikoloa
South Kohala patrol officers responded to the Waikoloa condominium complex at 6:28 p.m. on August 4 after receiving a report of sexual assault, according to the same Big Island Now account. Officers located and arrested Efird less than an hour and a half later, at 7:48 p.m. that evening, before handing the investigation to Area II Juvenile Aid Section detectives.
Efird had an initial court date in Kona District Court on August 7, before the case advanced to a grand jury indictment in Circuit Court. Police charged him with both first-degree and second-degree sexual assault, accusing him of assaulting the same adult female victim in the two reported incidents, per the investigation.
What Separates the Two Felony Charges
The two charges carry markedly different penalties and legal standards. Under Hawaii Revised Statutes § 707-730, first-degree sexual assault is a Class A felony carrying up to 20 years in state prison and fines as high as $50,000, according to WomensLaw.org. Second-degree sexual assault, charged under Hawaii Revised Statutes § 707-731, is a Class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison, per Justia Law.
The distinction between the charges hinges on the level of force alleged. Hawaii Revised Statutes § 707-700 defines first-degree assault as requiring “strong compulsion” — physical force or the threat of bodily injury or death — while second-degree assault requires only “compulsion,” meaning a lack of consent or threats of humiliation or financial loss, according to RAINN.
Police Unit and Ongoing Investigation
The Area II Juvenile Aid Section, which led the investigation, is a specialized unit based in West Hawaii that handles sexual assault, child abuse and domestic violence cases across the region, according to the Hawaiʻi Police Department. Area II covers police operations from North Kohala down through Kaʻū, including both the Waikoloa and Kailua-Kona jurisdictions where the two alleged assaults occurred. Leadership over that division changed hands effective May 1, when Assistant Chief Rio Amon-Wilkins took command of Area II Operations, overseeing district stations in Kona and South Kohala.
Hawaii Island police previously encouraged anyone with information to contact Area II Juvenile Aid Section Detective Aaron Yamanaka at (808) 326-4646, extension 3304, or by email at [email protected].
Underreporting and Where Victims Can Turn
Sexual assault remains historically underreported across the state, with official estimates from the Hawaii Department of the Attorney General indicating that fewer than 30 percent of incidents are reported to law enforcement, according to the Hawaii State Legislature. State officials also oversee Project Mālama Kākou, an initiative that tracks sexual assault evidence kits and coordinates survivor notifications with county police departments.
Victims of sexual assault on Hawaii Island can reach 24-hour confidential crisis support, counseling and legal advocacy through the YWCA of Hawaii Island's Sexual Assault Support Services hotline at (808) 935-0677, according to the Hawaii State Judiciary. The organization operates offices in both Hilo and Kailua-Kona, with the West Hawaii office located at 75-5759 Kuakini Highway.
