Man who injured father during drive placed on probation

Another defendant given probation for threatening corrections officer

WAILUKU — A Makawao man was placed on two years’ probation Thursday after he pleaded guilty to abusing his father.

Samuel Baldwin, 32, also was sentenced to a mandatory two-day jail term, which he had already served.

The abuse occurred Sept. 2 when Baldwin was driving with his father in the front passenger seat, said Deputy Prosecutor David Van Acker. He said Baldwin head-butted his father, elbowed him in the face and grabbed his arm, causing injury to his father.

Baldwin, who agreed with the prosecution’s description of what happened, said he and his father “got in an argument and it escalated.”

“I wanted him to back off,” Baldwin said.

At the time, he had been driving to Kihei to meet his boss to get his paycheck, Baldwin said.

In recommending the two years’ probation, Van Acker said Baldwin’s father is over 80 years old and noted that the crime involved violence.

Baldwin has two prior convictions for impaired driving, Van Acker said.

Deputy Public Defender Zach Raidmae asked for Baldwin to be sentenced to a shorter one-year term of probation.

Baldwin pleaded guilty to abuse. The prosecution dismissed charges of second-degree assault and resisting arrest.

Second Circuit Judge Peter Cahill ordered Baldwin to complete anger management or domestic violence intervention classes as part of his two years’ probation.

In another sentencing, a 28year-old man was placed on four years’ probation for threatening an adult corrections officer.

Stephen Paul was given credit for more than 10 months he spent in jail when he was sentenced Oct. 21.

He had pleaded no contest to first-degree terroristic threatening of the officer.

Police said Paul threatened to kill the officer Dec. 12 after she tried to feed him dinner and he refused.

Deputy Public Defender Raidmae wondered if it was a case of “hangriness.”

With overcrowding in jails, “riots happen, fights happen and depriving people of food happens as well,” Raidmae said.

“It’s our job to care, to advocate for prisoners and make sure they’re treated with dignity and respect,” he said. “It’s unfortunate he had to go through this.”

While Raidmae said Paul became addicted to drugs while “living the transient lifestyle,” Paul said his drug use was for “medicinal purposes.” “I don’t really have a drug problem,” he said.

Paul said he suffers from joint pain. “Both marijuana and meth help with that,” he said. Judge Cahill ordered Paul not to consume or possess illegal drugs while he is on probation.

“Meth is not a medication that’s prescribed for anything, including pain reduction,” Cahill said. “It frazzles your brain.”

Cahill suggested that Paul, who has been on Maui for seven years, make contact with his family in New Hampshire.

Paul was resentenced to probation for unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle in a 2019 case.