Police: Hawaii man charged in assault with cow bone

(CBS/AP) HONOLULU, Hawaii - A Hawaii man was charged with assault after allegedly attacking a group of men with what is thought to be a cow's thighbone, police said Wednesday.

Authorities responded to a report of a fight outside a bar on Christmas Eve and found four men with injuries from an apparent attack. Bar customers were holding Gregory Haas, 45, who witnesses told police went after the men with the alleged bone.

Lt. Gerald Wike said Wednesday, "It's unusual someone using that as a weapon. This is the first that I have experienced an assault taking place with what appears to be an animal bone."

Police said the attack in the parking lot was "unprovoked," and Haas appeared to be intoxicated at the time.

"He did indicate that he did actually find it in pastureland here in the Kona area," Lt. Gerald Wike said Wednesday. The weapon was found at the scene and taken as evidence. However, police are certain it is a bone from a large animal and are trying to determine that it definitely belonged to a cow.

One of the victims, 40, was hit in the head and airlifted to a Honolulu hospital in critical condition. He has reportedly been discharged, Wike said. Another man, 25, was treated at a local hospital for cuts to his head. Two other victims had minor injuries.

Haas was charged with one count of first-degree assault and three counts of second-degree assault.

The suspect is scheduled to be in court Thursday for a preliminary hearing. He is currently being held in jail on $55,000 bail.