Grand jury indicts Maui doctor after wife tells police he repeatedly bashed her head with a rock after she refused selfie

Gerhardt Konig, a 46-year-old doctor, was arrested Monday after he attempted to kill his wife while hiking in Oahu, according to the Honolulu Police Department. (Honolulu Police Department via CNN Newsource)

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An anesthesiologist charged with attempted second-degree murder for allegedly attacking his wife on an Oahu hiking trail was indicted by a grand jury Friday, one day after his initial court appearance.

Gerhardt Konig, 46, is now being held without bail at the Oahu Community Correctional Center, a statement from the Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney’s office said. His bail had previously been set at $5 million.

His wife told police she and her husband were hiking on the trail Monday and at one point, “Gerhardt was standing close to the edge and asked her to take a selfie with him,” according to an affidavit filed during Konig’s Thursday hearing.

The woman told police she was uncomfortable taking a photo there “so she declined and began to walk back,” the document says.

At that moment, she said, he began yelling at her, pushed her into nearby bushes, “then picked up a rock and struck her on the head approximately 10 times while also grabbing the back of her hair and smashing her face into the ground,” according to the affidavit.

She was yelling for help when she heard two other hikers and was able to start crawling toward them, she told police.

Konig’s wife said she observed him taking out two syringes from his bag and attempting to use them on her, but she was able to get them away from him, the affidavit says.

One of the hikers, a woman identified as “Amanda,” told police she heard someone yelling, “Help! Help me!” and began running up the trail. She said she found a woman with a man on top of her, hitting the woman in the head.

Amanda said the woman she encountered told her, “He is trying to kill me. He is hitting me in the head with a rock,” according to the affidavit. The second hiker, identified as Sarah, called 911, Amanda told police.

The woman was able to get away from her husband and toward the hikers, and they were all able to move up the trail and toward help, the document says.

She was in “serious but stable condition” when EMS arrived to transport her to the hospital, police said.

The Honolulu Emergency Services Department confirmed it treated a 36-year-old woman for head and facial injuries after being assaulted, and she was transported in serious condition to a local emergency room.

A spokesperson for the hospital told CNN on Wednesday it did not have a patient by the woman’s name admitted, but police said in an update Friday that she is still hospitalized. CNN has reached out to the hospital Friday for clarification.

A preliminary hearing that was scheduled for Monday has been canceled following the indictment.

“This indictment reflects the serious nature of crime that is alleged this case,” prosecuting attorney Steve Alm said in a statement. “Domestic abuse cannot be tolerated. Our office is committed to ensuring that justice is served for the victim and that the defendant is held accountable.”

Konig’s attorney declined CNN’s request for comment.

Police said they arrested Konig on Monday near Pali Highway “after a brief foot pursuit,” more than seven hours after the attack.

Konig’s Hawaii medical license, which he obtained in Sept. 2022, was in good standing as of Tuesday evening, according to the state’s professional vocational licensing database.

Konig is suspended from working at Maui Memorial Medical Center, where he’s employed as an independent contractor, according to a representative from Maui Health.

In a statement to CNN, the representative said, “We have been made aware of the allegations against Gerhardt Konig, MD. Dr. Konig’s medical staff privileges at Maui Memorial Medical Center have been suspended pending investigation. Maui Health takes these concerns and the safety of its patients very seriously and will cooperate with authorities as appropriate.”

A representative from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center confirmed Konig worked there previously but said he has not worked with UPMC for more than two years.

If you or someone you know is struggling with intimate partner violence, there are resources available.

Article by Taylor Romine, Veronica Miracle and Andi Babineau.