Doctor faces threat charge

Honolulu physician and restaurateur Tyronne Dang is free on bail after he was charged Sunday with threatening his life partner with two butcher knives.

Dang, 50, is known beyond Hawaii for serving the gay and lesbian community here and was recognized as the Gay & Lesbian Medical Association Provider of the Year in 2004.

Last year he and two co-owners opened the successful Spices restaurant on South King Street.

Police arrested Dang at his Kaiolu Street home at 3:30 a.m. Sunday after an early morning confrontation with his partner. The partner, 48, told police he and Dang were arguing over Dang's infidelity when Dang threatened him with two butcher knives.

The partner said he fled and called police.

Police arrested Dang under suspicion of first-degree terroristic threatening, a felony, and abuse of a family or household member, a misdemeanor. He posted $11,000 bail after being charged and was released at 12:40 p.m. Sunday.

He is scheduled to make his initial court appearance to answer to the charges tomorrow morning.

Dang did not respond to a request for comment left at his office.