Officer allegedly has
history of threats
A police officer arrested Tuesday for allegedly threatening his estranged wife's boyfriend apparently had harassed and threatened him before on numerous occasions.
And the officer's wife did not seek a temporary restraining order against him because she feared he would harm her for jeopardizing his job.
Those allegations are cited in a petition filed Tuesday by George Wong, the boyfriend, in Wahiawa District Court for a temporary restraining order against the officer.
The officer, 35, was released Tuesday afternoon pending further investigation. He could not be reached for comment.
In his petition, Wong contends the officer is "dangerous" and that he fears for himself and his children. He said the harassment has been escalating, from "threatening to put me in the hospital, knocking me out, putting me in a wheelchair, having other officers follow me, claiming to arrest me and contracting someone to kill me."
A District Court judge granted a temporary restraining order Tuesday prohibiting the officer or anyone acting on his behalf from having any contact with Wong and his family. The officer has also been ordered to appear in District Court on Jan. 20 for a further hearing on the matter.
According to the petition, the threats and harassment escalated over the weekend after the officer left an "insulting and threatening message" on Wong's voice mail Friday. The officer's wife had forwarded her phone calls to Wong's cell phone because her husband allegedly had been harassing her. The couple, married since May 1995, separated in November.
Wong said he returned the phone call, telling the officer to stop calling and that he was not going to take the verbal abuse any longer. Wong also said he would report the officer to the police Internal Affairs Division.
Later, Wong said he received numerous phone calls from the officer at his girlfriend's home and more threatening messages. The threats got more serious "from attacks of hurting me up to contracted death," Wong wrote in his petition.
"He said if I go to (Internal Affairs), I would be asking for trouble, and he would hurt anyone close to me," Wong said.
Wong said he and his girlfriend hid over the weekend, fearing retaliation and to avoid any confrontation.
According to court records, the officer filed for divorce against his wife in December. They have two children together. Police Chief Lee Donohue said earlier that the officer has been relieved of his badge and handgun and will be assigned to nonpatrol duties.
Internal Affairs is conducting an administrative investigation and working with prosecutors in the criminal investigation.