The wife of a Hawaii engineer, who is accused of attempting to push her off a cliff, has revealed that she had been subjected to sexual abuse for several months leading up to the violent incident. Gerhardt Konig, 46, is said to have attacked his wife, 36-year-old Arielle Konig, during a visit to the Pali Lookout in Oahu, Hawaii, last week, according to police reports.
Arielle survived the attack, in which her husband allegedly tried to push her off a high trail, slammed her face into the ground, struck her head with a rock multiple times, and attempted to inject her with a syringe. Gerhardt fled briefly but was later apprehended and charged with attempted murder on the same day.
In a petition for a restraining order following the assault, Arielle disclosed that Gerhardt had been sexually abusing her for months leading up to the incident. While she did not specify the exact timeframe of the abuse and assault, she highlighted a significant change in their relationship in December. She claimed that Gerhardt, who had accused her of infidelity, displayed extreme jealousy and sought to control her communications. The couple had been undergoing therapy sessions prior to the incident.
Arielle recounted in the petition that Gerhardt became agitated when he asked to take a photo with her near a cliff edge, which made her uncomfortable. She alleged that he pushed her towards the edge, shouting profanities and expressing frustration. Arielle initially thought he was joking, but soon realized his intentions to harm her. Despite multiple attempts to escape, she eventually managed to flee from him.
Gerhardt has been charged with attempted murder and is currently in custody on a $5 million bond. At the time of publication, plea information was not available, and representatives for both Gerhardt and Arielle had not responded to requests for comments from PEOPLE.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit thehotline.org for confidential assistance. For support regarding sexual assault, reach out to the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit rainn.org.
