WAILUKU — For stabbing another man twice in an “unprovoked and vicious attack” at the Haliimaile Park tennis courts, a Kihei man was sentenced Tuesday to a 10-year prison term.

Kaikala Young, 27, had agreed to the prison term as part of a plea agreement.

Originally charged with attempted murder, he had pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of first-degree assault.

Young said he took responsibility for what he did Oct. 13, 2020, when he drove to the park and saw the victim near the tennis courts.

Young began yelling at the victim because he owed him money, then pulled out knife with 4.75-inch blade and demanded money, according to a statements of facts supporting the guilty plea.

“The defendant thought the victim was disrespecting him over money,” Deputy Prosecutor Ryan Teshima said.

He said Young found the victim, chased him and cornered him in the tennis courts. There, in an “unprovoked and vicious attack,” Young stabbed the other man twice — once in the stomach and once in the back, Teshima said. He said one stab wound cut the victim’s abdominal blood vessel, causing life-threatening internal bleeding.

The 32-year-old victim was treated at the hospital for his injuries, police said.

Both Teshima and Deputy Public Defender Ben Lowenthal acknowledged trauma in Young’s life that was described in letters of support to the court and a report from a psychologist who treated Young.

“There’s been a lot of darkness in his life,” Lowenthal said.

But he said Young has a family that loves him and will be there for him when he is paroled.

The year and a half he has spent in jail has “caused him to focus on himself,” Lowenthal said.

“He is extremely lucky that no one was killed, not only in what happened at the tennis court but in the pursuit” of Young afterward, Lowenthal said.

Speaking in court Tuesday, Young said he knew what he did was wrong.

“I cannot take back the traumatizing life experience,” he said. “I’m sorry.

“I have no excuses. I can tell you I was not in the right state of mind.”

He said he had been affected by his brother’s death a couple of months earlier.

“When he lost his life, I lost myself,” he said. “Every day is a struggle.”

While in jail, he said he had participated in church, mentoring and 12-step programs, “doing everything I can to better myself and keep busy.”

When he is released, Young said he wanted to help others.

In following the plea agreement to sentence Young, 2nd Circuit Judge Kelsey Kawano said it was fortunate that the stabbing victim didn’t die.

“Obviously, you were going through a lot of personal turmoil,” Kawano told Young. “It provides a backdrop and understanding for your conduct that day.”

He said there wasn’t legal justification for the stabbing.

“The circumstances of the case indicate a crime of great violence, a crime exhibiting a very high degree of viciousness,” Kawano said. “Your actions were without provocation.

“Your actions suggest to this court that you lack good judgment, you lack self-control.”

* Lila Fujimoto can be reached at lfujimoto@mauinews.com.

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