Posted on: Thursday, July 25, 2002

Officer not charged in standoff

Advertiser Staff

A 37-year-old police officer who was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of abuse and kidnapping following a four-hour standoff with police in Waipio Gentry was released from the Honolulu Police Department main cell block yesterday and will not be charged, according to the city prosecutor's office.

Jim Fulton, spokesman for the office, said there wasn't enough evidence to support the charges against the officer in either offense.

Police arrested the officer following the standoff that arose after an early-morning domestic argument at the officer's Waipio Gentry home. His girlfriend also was arrested.

The girlfriend, Luana Jean Bonnie Mangca, 48, was charged with abuse and a traffic violation at the Pearl City police station. She was released after paying aggregate bail of $1,250.

Fulton said he could not immediately say why Mangca was charged with abuse and the officer was not, but added there was no favoritism by prosecutors toward the officer in this case.