Man to serve three months for abusing wife

WAILUKU — A man was taken into custody Wednesday to serve a three-month jail term for abusing his wife and illegally entering a house where she was staying.

The sentencing for Wayne Chun, 51, of Wailuku occurred more than three years after he was arrested in two criminal cases.

“The defendant’s actions in 2017 are just as serious today as they were back then,” Deputy Prosecutor Shelly Miyashiro said in recommending the jail term as part of five years’ probation for Chun. “We’re here today, many months, years later, due to the defendant’s actions.”

Chun had pleaded no contest to felony abuse and first-degree burglary, with other charges dismissed in exchange for his pleas.

After he entered the no-contest pleas June 14, 2018, his sentencing was delayed while he sought to withdraw his pleas. Following the denial of that request last year, Chun asked for other delays, including one while he was undergoing physical therapy after surgery.

“I think you know as well as I do you can’t manhandle your partner for life,” 2nd Circuit Judge Rhonda Loo said as she sentenced Chun. “You can’t treat her like a piece of meat.”

He was arrested in the first case after a frantic call to 911 from his 10-year-old daughter at about 10 p.m. June 10, 2017, Miyashiro said. She said the girl told a dispatcher that her parents’ fighting was getting out of control, saying, “I think he’s going to kill my mom.”

His wife left the residence and Chun followed, grabbing her and trying to pull her back inside before she broke free and ran across the road to an area fronting Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resource Center in Wailuku, Miyashiro said.

She said Chun continued to follow her, and her screams drew the attention of people who called 911 to report “a guy beating a girl in front of the homeless shelter.”

She suffered small cuts to her hands after Chun reportedly pried her fingers off a guardrail, pulled her hair and called her names.

Police reported that Chun was “highly intoxicated,” had trouble standing and was swaying from side to side as the smell of liquor emanated from his breath, Miyashiro said.

A few months later, on Sept. 22, 2017, officers responded to a Kahului residence and spoke to Chun’s wife, who said she and Chun were in the process of divorcing. She told police Chun showed up at the residence of her new boyfriend and was yelling from outside, Miyashiro said.

She said the boyfriend told police that Chun forced his way inside, grabbed the boyfriend by his arms, then grabbed his wife and pulled her outside, saying she needed to come home. She managed to get away from Chun and ran back into the residence and called police, Miyashiro said.

Chun had left by the time police arrived.

Police reported the woman’s foot was hurt when Chun dragged her out the door. Police also reported she suffered bruises to her elbows and fingers.

Speaking in court Wednesday, Angela Chun apologized for what she did.

“A lot of the actions he is going through now is because of what I did. I cheated. I lied,” she said. “I was living with another man, loving another man . . . and he was home with the kids.

“I did really horrible things that caused him a lot of pain. I’m surprised he’s still with me today.”

The two are divorced but have since reconciled, she said.

“I’m willing to help him do what he has to do for us to continue forward in a good path together as a family,” she said. “I’m sorry for lying and manipulating to the police. It makes me cry at night to see what he’s going through.

“I should be the one on trial ’cause of what I did to him.”

His attorney, Hayden Aluli, said a jail term wouldn’t help Wayne Chun, who works two part-time jobs and has invested in a flooring company.

“He is committed to be the kind of husband that his wife deserves and to be the kind of father that his two children deserve to have,” Aluli said.

Judge Loo said that while Angela Chun spoke about the pain she caused, Wayne Chun had also caused her pain by his actions.

“I understand she takes a lot of blame here, but it’s a twoway street,” Loo told him. “If this was a one-time incident, I think I would be more understanding of your actions.”

She said the court received “glowing” letters from friends and family members of Chun, who declined to speak at his sentencing.

“No matter what problems you had with your wife, you’re ultimately the one that caused her pain,” Loo said. “If you can’t control your actions, I don’t know who can. You cannot control other people’s lives. Not once, but twice, you lost control.”

As part of five years’ probation, Chun was ordered to complete domestic violence intervention classes, perform 200 hours of community service and pay a $500 fine.

He was ordered not to consume alcohol or illegal drugs and to write letters apologizing to his former wife and her former boyfriend.

Aluli said Chun would be filing a notice appealing the denial of his request to withdraw his no-contest pleas.