A prominent doctor accused of trying to kill his nuclear engineer wife by pushing her off a scenic trail in Hawaii and striking her head with a rock allegedly attacked her because she refused to pose for a photo with him.
Gerhardt Konig, 46, a respected anesthesiologist, was arrested on Monday following the alleged assault on his wife, Arielle Konig, at the Nuʻuanu Pali Lookout in Oahu. The attack was triggered when Arielle, 36, declined to take a picture with her husband, law enforcement officials told Hawaii News Now. She told cops that Konig struck her with his fists and a rock before trying to push her off the cliff.
Strange Reason
Arielle told authorities that Konig was on vacation on Oahu with her when he had struck her with his fists and a rock before trying to push her off the hiking trail and kill her.
During the attack, Konig allegedly also pulled out two syringes and poked Arielle with them, though it remains unclear what they contained. After the assault, Arielle was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition, suffering from severe head and facial injuries.
Konig is now facing a second-degree attempted murder charge, pending review by the prosecutor's office.
Konig was arrested following a brief chase on foot. Authorities said that he was located near the hiking trail after trying to flee the scene.
"HPD officers located Gerhardt Konig near Pali Highway and arrested him after a brief foot pursuit. Charges are pending. Mahalo to the public for your assistance," Honolulu police said in a statement.
The couple lives in a $1.5 million home in Maui but were visiting a scenic location in Oahu when the alleged incident took place.
They have been married since 2018. Konig was previously married and is known to have at least one child.
Even Not Clean in His Own Profession
Hawaii's Division of State Parks announced that Pali Lookout remained closed for the rest of Monday following the shocking incident.
Konig has been suspended from his role as an independent contractor providing services to multiple facilities under Maui Health. "Maui Health is committed to patient safety and upholding the highest standards of care," Maui Health told KHON2 a statement.
"We have been made aware of the allegations against Gerhardt Konig, MD. Dr. Konig has been suspended from the Medical Staff pending investigation."
Konig formerly served as an Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology and Bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh Schools of Medicine and Engineering.
Later, he became a partner at the Anesthesia Medical Group in Maui.
