Two police officers reportedly sustained minor injuries in a scuffle with a DUI suspect, and one of the officers allegedly was bitten on her right calf by the suspect’s dog.
According to court documents filed by police, Officer Alexis Amon-Wilkins responded to the Kinoole Elderly Residences in Hilo after a report about a man asleep in a car blocking the apartment’s driveway.
Documents state the white 1995 Toyota Corolla was still idling when police arrived. Amon-Wilkins reportedly spotted in plain view inside the vehicle two ziplock bags of marijuana, a smaller ziplock bag containing dried psilocybin mushrooms, and three opened cans of Sierra Nevada Big Little Thing IPA, a beer with an alcohol content of 9%.
The driver, identified by police as 64-year-old Jean-Marc Andre Offergeld of Hilo, was slumped over at the wheel.
Offergeld allegedly refused a field-sobriety test. Amon-Wilkins notified him he was under arrest for DUI, and he allegedly responded by punching her three times in the head and grabbing her hair and refusing to let go.
Offergeld reportedly also kicked Amon-Wilkins’ left knee, and his “medium-sized dog” emerged from the back seat and bit Amon-Wilkins on her lower right leg.
Amon-Wilkins used pepper spray and deployed her Taser, but Offergeld continued to resist, documents state, until Officers Greg Matias and Jonathan Kailiuli arrived and helped to subdue the suspect.
Amon-Wilkins and Matias were treated by medics for their injuries, and Offergeld was taken to Hilo Medical Center, where he was treated for minor injuries and his blood was drawn for alcohol and drug testing.
It’s the second time in the past three weeks Amon-Wilkins has allegedly been assaulted by an intoxicated, uncooperative suspect whose vehicle was blocking public passage.
Offergeld was charged with three counts of first-degree assault of a police officer; second-degree assault of a police officer; resisting arrest; DUI; open container of liquor in vehicle; third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug for 3.7 grams of the psychedelic mushrooms; second-degree promotion of a detrimental drug for 70 grams of marijuana; and negligent failure to control a dangerous dog.
The most serious charges, first-degree assault of a police officer and third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, are Class C felonies punishable by up to five years imprisonment, upon conviction.
Offergeld has no prior felony convictions.
At Offergeld’s initial court appearance Monday, Hilo District Judge Jeffrey Hawk reduced his bail from $48,000 to $28,000 over the objection of prosecutors, and ordered him to return to court Wednesday for a preliminary hearing.
Offergeld remains in custody at Hawaii Community Correctional Center.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
