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Band director A band director from California's Palmdale High School is recovering from two breaks to his right ankle received in an alleged attack by a 44-year-old homeless man at Kapiolani Park on Tuesday.
recovering from injuries
The California man was allegedly
attacked by a homeless personBy Nelson Daranciang
ndaranciang@starbulletin.comSam Perez underwent surgery at Kaiser Moanalua Clinic on Wednesday to have two screws and a metal plate attached to the outside of his ankle and two screws and a pin attached to the inside of the ankle. He also has a cast around the ankle.
The 32-year-old associate music director also suffered torn ankle ligaments and tissue.
The Palmdale High School Band had just completed its performances at the Kapiolani Park Bandstand when Perez said he was trying to persuade a man who had been bothering his students earlier in the day to leave.
The man had stolen some pizza and soda from them as the group ate lunch in the park, Perez said.
Damien Memorial High School Band Director Siuai Laufou said the man "was out there mumbling, all in his own world."
The man left the park with his pizza and soda but returned later.
"After the performances, he went up to one of our students and started rolling up a joint," Perez said.
Perez confronted the man who then put both hands on Perez's shoulders. After being asked twice to remove his hands and to leave, the man wrapped both his legs around Perez's right ankle, fell to his left and pushed Perez in the opposite direction, Perez said.
"As I was hitting the ground, I could see my foot and the bottom part of my right foot was turned to the right and I could see physically that it was broken. Besides, it was wobbling there. It felt like it was in slow motion."
Perez said he did not feel any pain but started yelling because he could see his foot was bent in a position it was not supposed to be.
About 80 high school students and 20 boosters, chaperones and parents witnessed the confrontation or its aftermath.
Perez's wife and 18-month-old son were also at the park. His wife accompanied him to the hospital in the ambulance while a parent of one of the students took care of Sam Jr.
The adults in the group rushed to subdue the man until police arrived.
"The amazing restraint that the booster, parents, specifically a couple, had to subdue him showed because if they had taken revenge on this guy, which much of them wanted to do -- they wanted him gone -- it would not have been a good example," said Tom Hixon, Palmdale High School music director.
Police charged Dalbert Pagador with second-degree assault on Wednesday. He remains in the Oahu Community Correctional Center in lieu of $15,000 bail.
Officers assigned to Waikiki said Pagador has been arrested numerous times for harassment and other misdemeanor crimes but he keeps returning to the park.
Perez said the incident has not dampened his first trip to Hawaii.
"I told my wife we need to come back. This was just a freak accident. This person is now going to the get the help he needs. That's the good thing that came out of this," Perez said.
The Palmdale High School Band arrived on Oahu on Sunday to take part in the Hawaii Invitational International Music and Drill Team Festival. The band returns to California tomorrow.
The festival is an annual event and Palmdale has been attending every four years. Hixon intends to continue the tradition.