Officer’s intuition saving grace for woman

WAILUKU - If a police officer hadn't checked on a car parked in the dirt at a Makawao cemetery, a woman might have been more seriously injured from a beating by her boyfriend, a judge said.

"I can't imagine what would have happened if the police officer hadn't stopped," 2nd Circuit Judge Joel August said.

But he also said Jose Rogopes appeared to be trying to change his life since the drunken early-morning assault on the woman Nov. 30.

Except for 53 days Rogopes had already served, August suspended a six-month jail term for the 27-year-old, who was placed on five years' probation Wednesday. Rogopes was ordered to perform 200 hours of community service and continue in a chemical dependency program at Na Hale O Wainee homeless shelter in Lahaina.

He also was ordered not to consume alcohol or illegal drugs, to enroll in an anger management program and to attend at least five Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous meetings a week.

Rogopes and the woman had been drinking at a Makawao bar when they got into a heated argument, according to court records.

The woman told police Rogopes followed her to the car, head-butted her several times and pushed her to the ground before dragging her into the passenger seat and driving to the Maui Veterans Cemetery in Makawao. He pulled her hair and struck her head and face, she reported.

The beating stopped when the officer approached the car at 12:51 a.m. and saw blood dripping down the woman's forehead, according to court records.

"If the police officer did not show up at that time and think there was something suspicious about a car parked in that area, there could have been a more serious crime committed," said Deputy Prosecutor Brandon Paredes.

A doctor who examined the woman at the Maui Memorial Medical Center emergency room reported that she suffered a broken nose and a laceration on her forehead.

Questioned by the judge Wednesday, Rogopes said he didn't remember what happened. "Only when I woke up and I was in the jail cell," he said.

Rogopes said he was no longer in a relationship with the victim and was attending support-group meetings daily.

August said Rogopes' prior convictions include ones for disorderly conduct a month before the beating and in 2005. In 2006, Rogopes had a chance to keep third-degree assault and resisting arrest convictions off his record but didn't comply with court conditions, August said. He said Rogopes was arrested for assault in Saipan when he was 16 years old.

Rogopes had pleaded no contest to second-degree assault in his latest case.

* Lila Fujimoto can be reached at lfujimoto@mauinews.com.