In Honolulu, authorities have charged a Maui physician with second-degree attempted murder after claims emerged of him trying to kill his wife during a hike. The doctor, identified as Gerhardt Konig, allegedly pushed his wife from a hiking trail and struck her head several times with a rock. Responding to the severity of the incident, Honolulu police detailed these accusations after the woman, aged 36, reported the assault on Monday morning, leading to her hospitalization in critical condition. Witnesses at the scene quickly notified emergency services, facilitating the police’s ongoing investigation.
Konig reportedly evaded capture initially, leading to an extensive manhunt and resulting in the temporary shutdown of a nearby state park. The authorities eventually apprehended him after a brief pursuit on foot around 6 p.m. on the same day. As of Wednesday, he remains in police custody, with no clear information about his legal representation as attempts to reach him via cell phone went unanswered.
The couple had been hiking on Oahu’s Pali Puka trail, a popular path known for its impressive ocean and mountain vistas, located conveniently close to Honolulu’s center. Konig’s position as an anesthesiologist with Maui Health, an organization that oversees hospitals and clinics in the county, has come under scrutiny. They announced his suspension pending the results of the investigation. Moreover, a notable absence of his name from Maui Health’s online provider directory was observed recently.
In response to the developments, Kaiser Permanente clarified that while Konig offers medical services at its facilities, including the Wailuku clinic, he is not directly employed by them. Instead, he works for an independent entity that provides services to Maui Health under contract. Given the circumstances, they have suspended Konig’s credentials, barring him from treating patients as the investigation continues to unfold.