Police-reported incident record · 2023-05-27

Pahoa woman hospitalized with both arms fractured in Ainaloa Estates dog attack

Hawaii police said a neighboring dog attacked a 32-year-old woman on Bamboo Drive on May 27, 2023, fracturing both arms; her mother also reported bite injuries while intervening.

Nonfatal · 2 bite victimsBreed: Not reportedPahoa, HI

Date2023-05-27 · Approximately 4:50 p.m.

LocationBamboo Drive in the Ainaloa Estates subdivision, Pahoa; published street location, map point approximate

Victim(s)2 adult women: daughter age 32 and mother age 52

Dogs involvedAt least 1 neighboring dog; the mother reported she was also bitten, possibly by another unknown dog

Injury severityNonfatal; 32-year-old woman hospitalized with fractures to both arms, multiple puncture wounds and lacerations; her 52-year-old mother also reported arm/shoulder bite injuries

Breed attributionNot reportedHawaii Police Department did not identify a breed in its media release. BiteDB leaves breed unassigned rather than inferring it from appearance, location, later commentary or unrelated photographs.

What the record currently shows

Incident summary

Hawaii Police Department said a neighboring dog attacked a 32-year-old woman on her Bamboo Drive property in Ainaloa Estates on May 27, 2023. She suffered bite wounds that fractured both arms, along with multiple punctures and lacerations, and was hospitalized in stable condition. Her 52-year-old mother reported that she was also bitten on the arm and shoulder while trying to stop the attack.

Legal-status note

Police initially charged the dog owner with permitting a dog to stray and negligent failure to control a dangerous dog. Hawaii Tribune-Herald later reported that charges against the owner and his wife were dismissed with prejudice in December 2023 after a restorative-justice process. BiteDB records the initial charges and later dismissal without treating either as proof of civil liability.

Media & source coverage

Video, reporting and source material

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↗Primary incident reportingPolice Arrest and Charge Puna Man Following Dog AttackLinked source; no third-party image is copied into BiteDB.

Source provenance

Primary record used by BiteDB

Police Arrest and Charge Puna Man Following Dog AttackHawaii Police Department primary media release · Published 2023-05-28 · Accessed 2026-09-06

Hawaii Police Department reported that the attack occurred around 4:50 p.m. Saturday, May 27, 2023, on Bamboo Drive in Pahoa. The primary victim suffered fractures to both arms, puncture wounds and lacerations and was taken to Hilo Medical Center; her mother reported additional bite injuries while intervening. Police said the neighboring dog had not been secured and got beyond a partially fenced property.

Open original source ↗

Additional sources

Charges dropped against Ainaloa Estates couple whose dog injured neighbor — Hawaii Tribune-Herald court follow-up · 2023-12-10
Woman hospitalized, man arrested after dog attack — Hawaii Tribune-Herald local corroboration · 2023-05-29

Data-quality notes

What BiteDB does not infer

Breed is recorded only at the provenance level shown above. Missing injury details, dog history, ownership facts or circumstances remain unknown unless a reliable source establishes them. This record may be updated as police, animal-control, medical, court or follow-up reporting becomes available.