LIHU‘E — Former Kaua‘i Police Department officer Joseph Genaro Bonachita, 41, of Hanapepe, was arrested late Monday night on burglary and weapons charges, according to KPD records.

He was arrested at 10:50 p.m. Monday and charged with first-degree burglary, two counts of carrying a deadly weapon, two counts of first-degree terroristic threatening, illegal transfer of a weapon, and having an unloaded firearm and ammunition in illegal places to have such items, the result of a grand-jury warrant, according to KPD records.

He was released after posting $25,000 bail, including $20,000 bail on the burglary charge, KPD records indicate.

Bonachita’s first court date is Tuesday, Sept. 29. When reached on his cell phone Thursday, he said he is represented by attorney Michael Soong, and did not want to comment on his case.

Soong said in a telephone interview Thursday he hasn’t seen the charges against Bonachita or police reports, and didn’t know the exact charges against his client.

Soong said that, upon Bonachita’s first court appearance, they’ll see the official charging documents, and will request discovery, or paperwork related to the case, such as police reports and other documents.

Bonachita was the subject of a temporary restraining order filed by the late Lauren Kagawa, 27, who was found dead in the driveway of her family’s Puhi duplex Aug. 17.

The cause of Kagawa’s death was reported Wednesday by police investigators as a combination of prescription drugs and alcohol.

Police originally suspected foul play in the Kagawa case, and KPD Chief Darryl Perry said in an in-person interview at KPD headquarters Thursday that investigators are still trying to piece together what happened over several hours from Sunday night (Aug. 16) to Monday morning (Aug. 17).

Anyone with knowledge of Kagawa’s whereabouts during those hours is asked to contact KPD Detective Joe Adric, 241-1868, KPD dispatch, 241-1711, or Crime Stoppers, 241-1887.

Originally, a second-degree murder investigation was opened in the Kagawa case, but Perry confirmed Thursday that the evidence at hand to date supports a continued investigation of an accidental death or unattended death.

In her hand-written filing of the TRO document, Kagawa said Bonachita had sexually assaulted her, and choked her neck to the point where she thought she “was going to die.”

Bonachita has not been named by KPD as either a suspect or person of interest in the ongoing investigation into Kagawa’s death, but has not been ruled out as a suspect or possible person of interest in the case, Perry said Thursday.

• Paul C. Curtis, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or pcurtis@kauaipubco.com.