WAILUKU - A one-year jail term has been ordered for a woman who ran from and kicked a Lahaina police officer as she was being arrested on a warrant this year.
Esther Connolly, 27, also was placed on five years' probation as part of her sentence Wednesday.
"Obviously, you have a great disregard for rules and authority," 2nd Circuit Judge Rhonda Loo told Connolly. "I don't know why you ran from the police when they tried to arrest you."
Police chased Connolly, who kicked officer Marvin Tevaga in the shin twice in the early-morning incident Feb. 3.
Police used a Taser stun gun to subdue Connolly so she could be arrested on the probation-violation warrant.
Connolly had pleaded no contest to first-degree assault on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest.
When she was arrested, Connolly was on probation for burglary and theft charges.
She was eligible for probation again because first-degree assault on a law enforcement officer is one of the few felony crimes that doesn't trigger repeat-offender sentencing that would have mandated a prison term, said Deputy Public Defender Greg Ball.
He said Connolly wanted to again seek residential drug treatment.
"This has been a therapeutical relapse for me," she said in court. "I've learned a lot."
Connolly's crimes have been drug related, said Deputy Prosecutor Kim Whitworth.
"She has an uncontrolled drug addiction, which leads her to commit these crimes," Whitworth said. "Even after being arrested, she was placed on lockdown for using while she was incarcerated."
She said that Connolly did make efforts toward obtaining the equivalent of a high school diploma and trying to reunify with her daughter while on probation.
Lahaina police officers, including Tevaga, know Connolly as a "likable person," Whitworth said.
Connolly has prior convictions for resisting arrest and assaulting a law enforcement officer.
She was ordered to have no contact with officer Tevaga.
