Maui Police Arrest Man for Attempted Sex Assault in Kahului

David SHEFFIELD

On Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015 at about 5:08 p.m., Maui police were summoned to a disorderly report in progress fronting the bus stop at the Kahului Safeway along Kamehameha Avenue.

Police arrived to find that a fight reportedly occurred which allegedly involved the boyfriend of a female victim and David M. Sheffield. Police say the fight stemmed from an incident that occurred the night before.

According to police reports, the victim alleged that at 8 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 16, 2015, while attempting to hitchhike at the corner of Dairy Road and the Hāna Highway, she was approached by Sheffield, who she said had been following her and making sexual comments to her.

Police say the victim tried to walk away from Sheffield, but he allegedly grabbed her by her backpack and attempted to drag her toward the bushes.

Police say the victim was able to break free and run away on Dairy Road toward the Maui Marketplace. Police further state that the victim lost sight of Sheffield and called her boyfriend to pick her up.

Sheffield, 48, was arrested for allegations involving: first degree attempted sexual assault and kidnapping.

“We strongly urge victims to call police immediately. Any delay, could place others in jeopardy,” said Maui police in a department press release.

Below are a list of safety tips provided by Maui police:

• If walking by yourself, get off your cell phone. Chatting can distract you; it’s better to be aware of your surroundings and location. Hold your cell phone and be ready to make an emergency call. Many phones now have a button on the screen to dial 911 immediately. Go one step further and preset one of the buttons on your phone to call the emergency number.
• When leaving the mall late at night, ask at the security office to have a security guard assigned to escort you to your car.
• When traveling, do not walk with your map in your hand. It is a dead giveaway that you are a tourist. Therefore, you are an easy target.
• When asking for directions and someone offers to show you the way by having you follow them, do not go. Just ask for them to point you in the right direction.
• If someone tries to grab you, twist your arm up and down and yell, “Stop!” Do anything you can to draw attention to yourself.
• If someone is chasing after you, run away in a zig zag pattern. This will exhaust your attacker.
• Don’t check-in on Foursquare or Facebook when you arrive somewhere. Instead, check in as you leave. This way no one will be able to digitally stalk you and know your every move or when you’re not home. Along the same lines, avoid tweeting or Facebooking from vacation, especially if your account is public, as it’s a way of letting the world know that your home is unoccupied.