Woman sentenced to 30 days in jail for hitting officer

WAILUKU — A Lahaina woman who said she was intoxicated when she hit a police officer who responded to an altercation on Front Street was sentenced to a 30-day jail term as part of one year’s probation.

Danielle Demirovic, 28, pleaded no contest to a reduced charge of second-degree assault on a law enforcement officer when she was sentenced last month.

The assault occurred Aug. 4 to 5, 2019, after an altercation between her group of friends and someone on the street, said her then-attorney Chris Dunn, now a 2nd Circuit Court judge.

Dunn said that at first, she was trying to be a peacemaker before hitting the officer when her boyfriend was Tasered.

Officer Mitchell Pombrio’s glasses were broken when he was hit, said Deputy Prosecutor Sally Tobin.

“The event was completely out of my character,” Demirovic said in court March 19. “It’s not something I would have ever imagined I would have done. I am ashamed and I am extremely apologetic for my actions. I really look forward to moving on.

“The night was one that I regret.”

She said she stopped drinking after that night and has been sober for one year and seven months.

“It is a huge accomplishment,” she said.

Demirovic has no prior record and pleaded no contest to the misdemeanor charge with the mandatory jail term rather than face a felony conviction.

“Alcohol fuels lots of reactions,” 2nd Circuit Judge Rhonda Loo said in sentencing Demirovic. “It fueled you to become a violent, out-of-character person. Unfortunately, the person on the other end was officer Pombrio. He did not deserve to be smacked in the face.”

Co-defendant Kekoa Lansford pleaded no contest to an amended felony charge of second-degree assault and was placed on four years’ probation with no additional jail when he was sentenced in February.

“You can be two peas in a pod,” Judge Loo told Demirovic. “I suggest you grow a different vegetable root. You can end up a sweet potato or you can end up a bittermelon.

“If you become two peas in a pod again, your pod’s going to rot in jail.”

Demirovic was ordered to complete anger management treatment, perform 100 hours of community service and write a letter apologizing to officer Pombrio.