WAILUKU — A judge denied a man’s request to remove an alcohol-monitoring bracelet, saying it was “the only thing” preventing the defendant from drinking.

Ofamooni Vehikite, 36, of Makawao was ordered to obtain the device when he was arraigned March 9 on charges of habitually driving under the influence of alcohol, second-degree resisting an order to stop a motor vehicle and reckless driving.

He has pleaded not guilty to the charges stemming from his arrest Jan. 14 when he was described as “highly intoxicated” with a breath-alcohol reading of 0.201 percent, which is more than two times the legal limit of 0.08 percent, according to information filed in his case.

Vehikite is facing the felony habitual DUI charge based on two prior DUI convictions — in 2019 and 2015 — within 10 years of his latest arrest.

After initially not complying with the order to obtain the SCRAM continuous alcohol monitoring device as part of his release on $1,000 bail, Vehikite has paid SCRAM Hawaii $276.50 every two weeks for the bracelet since March 25, according to a defense motion asking to eliminate the requirement for the monitoring. Vehikite cannot work because of chronic medical conditions and owes the company $586.75, according to the motion.

Deputy Public Defender Selina Pannell said Tuesday that Vehikite is “committed to his sobriety.”

“He has no issue with wearing it,” she said. “It’s been with the cost.”

The prosecution opposed Vehikite’s request.

While the monitoring is expensive, “in his case it is worth it,” Deputy Prosecutor Johann Smith wrote in a memorandum.

He noted that SCRAM submitted a tampering violation report indicating that an object had blocked the device from Vehikite’s skin for about eight hours, compromising his alcohol monitoring. Vehikite has denied the allegation that the alcohol monitoring was blocked from 10:06 p.m. May 31 to 6:41 a.m. June 1.

“When Defendant fails to comply with bail conditions, every other driver on Maui is at risk,” Smith said.

“We can’t afford to have him out there driving drunk,” Smith said in court Tuesday.

Vehikite said his father died recently and it was “very hard for me.”

Second Circuit Judge Kelsey Kawano said that if the allegations were true, Vehikite hadn’t been complying with the court’s order.

“I cannot risk you having these events trigger you drinking,” Kawano said. “This is the only thing right now that is keeping you from doing it. As soon as that bracelet comes off, there’s a very good probability of you relapsing and drinking again.”

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