Maui police are looking for a local man in his 30s, who punched two tourists while at Little Beach in Makena on Sunday evening, police said.
A 41-year-old man from Louisiana suffered a less than 1-inch laceration to the left side of his chin and also bruising and swelling, said Lt. Jayson Rego of the Criminal Investigation Division. The man was treated at Maui Memorial Medical Center.
The visitor's wife suffered pain to the back of her left hand but declined medical treatment, Rego added.
Rego said the couple from Louisiana was at the beach taking photos of the sunset around 6 p.m. Sunday when a man approached them and verbally harassed them about taking photos.
The man then punched the 41-year-old visitor in the face and said that he was going to take the man's camera and sell it, Rego said.
The camera fell to the ground and the visitor's wife went to pick it up when the man then punched the woman's hand, Rego added.
The camera was dropped again and the visitor's wife picked it up. The man fled, Rego said.
The assailant is described as 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing 150 to 160 pounds. He was wearing black shorts, a white T-shirt and a white baseball cap, Rego said.
Anyone with information may call Kihei police at 875-8190.
Calls also may be made to Maui Crime Stoppers at 242-6966. Callers to Crime Stoppers remain anonymous and are given a code number. Crime Stoppers pays cash rewards of up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and indictment of people responsible for felony crimes.
