A doctor accused of attempting to murder his wife on a Hawaii hiking trail pleaded not guilty in court on Monday, because he says there are ‘two sides to every story.’
Gerhardt Konig’s wife, Arielle Konig, 36, says they were hiking in Honolulu last month when he grabbed her, pushed her towards the edge of a cliff, attempted to inject her with a syringe and then bashed her head with a rock, Arielle wrote in a petition for a temporary restraining order against him.
On Monday, Konig appeared for the brief hearing via video from the Oahu Community Correctional Center where his lawyer, Defense attorney Thomas Otake, gave a shocking reason for his client’s alleged crime.
‘Dr. Konig’s not guilty plea this morning was not just a formality, but a substantive response to the allegation that he tried to kill his wife,’ Otake said in a prepared statement he distributed to reporters before the hearing.
‘There are two sides to every story, and thus far only one side has been shared,’ Otake said. ‘The other side to this story will be shared within the court process at the appropriate time.’
Since his indictment March 28, Gerhardt Konig has been held without bail.
Otake told the judge he plans to file a motion requesting bail noting how there should be some bail because Konig has no prior criminal record.
If convicted, Konig could face life in prison.
Hawaii doctor Gerhardt Konig appeared before a judge via video during an arraignment hearing after being indicted for attempting to kill his wife on Monday in Honolulu
Konig has been accused of trying to push his wife Arielle off a scenic Hawaiian hiking trail
Konig appears before a judge via video, bottom right, during an arraignment hearing Monday
The couple were visiting Oahu to celebrate her birthday while their two young sons stayed home on Maui with a nanny and family, according to the wife’s petition filed in family court.
A judge signed an order saying Konig must stay away from his wife and their children.
The petition for a restraining order said that in December, Konig accused his wife of having an affair. They have since been in therapy and counseling, she said.
In the petition, she also said her husband has sexually abused and assaulted her.
The renowned anesthesiologist, 46, can be seen looking disheveled in his booking photo
On March 24 during their recent trip, Konig suggested they go on a hike in Honolulu that she described in the petition as having ‘narrow ridge sections with steep drop-offs on both sides.’
What is known as ‘Pali Puka’ trail is closed because the route is unsafe, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources said.
‘During the hike, I became uneasy and informed Gerhardt that I did not want to continue,’ Arielle said in her petition. ‘Gerhardt hiked a little further and then came back to get me.’
At one point, he grabbed her by her upper arms and started pushing her toward the cliff’s edge while yelling that he was sick of her, she alleges.
Gerhardt Konig’s alleged brutal attack on his wife Arielle occurred on her 36th birthday, DailyMail.com has learned, while they were on a hike near Oahu’s scenic Pali Lookout
Police say Konig, a prominent anesthesiologist, tried to use a syringe containing an unknown substance in the alleged attack against his wife
The beauty spot is located more than 1,000ft above the coastline and offers stunning views of the Koʻolau cliffs and Windward Coast
They began wrestling and she screamed and pleaded for him to stop, fearing for her life, the petition said.
During the struggle, she said he took a syringe from his bag and tried to inject her.
‘I do not know what was in the syringe, but Gerhardt is an anesthesiologist and has access to several potentially lethal medications as part of his employment,’ she said, adding that she bit his arm in an attempt to defend herself.
He appeared to calm down, but then grabbed a nearby rock and ‘began bashing me repeatedly on the head with it,’ she said.
Two women on the trail saw what was happening and said they were calling 911.
The women helped Arielle back down the trail while Konig went in another direction.
An ambulance took her to a hospital and her husband was arrested later that evening.
Konig is an anesthesiologist at Maui Health, which operates hospitals and clinics in Maui County and is an affiliate of Kaiser Permanente.
Maui Health said in a statement to media organizations that he was suspended pending investigation.
Kaiser Permanente said in a statement that Konig is not an employee, but is employed by an independent entity contracted to provide medical services.
Kaiser said it has suspended his credentials and ability to treat patients pending investigation.
Neighbors said the Konigs appeared to be a happy family who rarely socialized with them but were devoted to their young sons Olin and Viggo.
Arielle, a nuclear scientist, had previously said she was afraid for herself, their children and their dog if Gerhardt was to be released on bail
The couple moved to Maui in 2022, settling into a spacious five-bedroom $1.5million home in a quiet cul-de-sac nestled in the foothills of the West Maui Mountains
Neighbors said the Konigs appeared to be a happy family who rarely socialized with them but were devoted to their young sons Olin and Viggo.
They moved to Maui in 2022 after Konig secured his ‘dream job’ as a partner at the Anesthesia Medical Group – a medical contracting firm based in the picturesque town of Kahului that supplies anesthesiologists to hospitals throughout Hawaii.
Arielle, meanwhile, worked for Bellevue, Washington, company TerraPower LLC which specializes in nuclear fuels.
For 24/7 confidential help and support, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800.799.SAFE (7233)