Honolulu police have arrested an 18-year-old McCully man in connection with the attempted robbery and stabbing of a Japanese tourist who was part of a group of visitors lost in Palolo earlier this month. 

The suspect, of Waiola Street, was arrested at 7 p.m. Wednesday. He is being held pending two counts of first-degree robbery.

Police said he was arrested at Oahu Community Correctional Center where he was being held on two second-degree robbery cases involving an unrelated case.

Tourists in three rental vehicles got lost in Palolo while trying to find Tantalus Lookout around midnight on July 8, police said. 

After they realized they had gone the wrong way, the visitors pulled over to regroup and decided to make a U-turn, police said. As the last of the three rentals, a convertible, was about to make the turn, two men approached it and demanded money. When the victim, a 23-year-old passenger, was awakened, he raised his arm to defend himself from a knife being placed to his throat, police said. He was then stabbed in the right shoulder, police said.

The three cars then fled and made their way back to Waikiki where they flagged down an officer at a Kalakaua Avenue gasoline station, police said.

A source close to the situation said the stabbing victim, initially reported in good condition, has since been released from the Queen’s Medical Center.

Initial reports said there may have been two robbers, but now say they have determined that the second man at the scene was not involved in the crime.

Detectives said that the suspect was being held at OCCC because he was previously charged on two counts of second-degree robbery involving the robbery of two juveniles in Palolo several weeks prior.