Man accused of abusing, threatening girlfriend
WAILUKU — A judge increased bail to $15,000 for a Wailuku man who was arrested last week after he allegedly repeatedly abused his girlfriend and threatened to hurt her if she left a bedroom.
Kaeo Tom, 28, of Wailuku was charged with felony abuse, first-degree unlawful imprisonment, eight counts of abuse and interference with reporting an emergency or crime.
“Despite the defendant having no prior criminal convictions, this was what the state believes to be a vicious and repeated attack,” Deputy Prosecutor Joshua Kent said during Tom’s initial appearance Monday in Wailuku District Court.
Kent said Tom was allegedly jealous about his girlfriend receiving text messages from another man. Tom was described as “highly intoxicated” when he pushed the woman into a wall, then slammed her to the ground, at one point placing his knee on her stomach, Kent said.
She reported he slammed her to the ground at least eight times, once into a ceramic flowerpot, causing it to break, Kent said.
He said Tom also allegedly came up behind the woman and restricted her breathing for 10 to 15 seconds. When she tried to get away and go into the shower, he grabbed her by the legs and dragged her back to continue the abuse, Kent said.
He said the woman twice tried to leave the bedroom and Tom “threatened further harm.”
Deputy Public Defender David Pullman said the allegations were “one side of the story.” “It can sometimes look a lot worse than it turns out to be,” he said. “There was no observed injuries of any form stated” in a declaration filed in court to support the charges.
Pullman said Tom works full time and asked for him to be released from jail.
Kent said the woman reported that she and Tom had been dating for five or six months and that it wasn’t the first incident of abuse.
Tom was arrested Friday morning, police records show.
Judge Kirstin Hamman granted the prosecution’s request to increase bail.
Tom was ordered to stay away from the woman and her residence.
He appeared by videoconference from the courthouse cellblock for the hearing.