LIHU‘E — The charges against a woman who is a accused of damaging store windows and an ATM at Kukui Grove Center were reduced Wednesday in 5th Circuit Court. At a Wednesday hearing Judge Kathleen Watanabe read the amended charges
LIHU‘E — The charges against a woman who is a accused of damaging store windows and an ATM at Kukui Grove Center were reduced Wednesday in 5th Circuit Court.
At a Wednesday hearing Judge Kathleen Watanabe read the amended charges against Patricia Lewis, 31, of Lihu‘e. The reduced charges came by way of a preliminary hearing in District Court but had not been reflected on the record.
Lewis was arrested Dec. 27 on two counts of first-degree criminal property damage, attempted first-degree criminal property damage and second-degree property damage. The charges were amended after a district court judge did not find probable cause for the first-degree criminal property damage charges.
At the Tuesday arraignment hearing Watanabe continued the matter after the defense attorney and deputy prosecutor notified the court of the discrepancy in the complaint. After a meeting in chambers on Wednesday morning, the hearing convened on the amended charges.
Watanabe read the amended Circuit Court charges as second-degree criminal property damage, a class C felony; third-degree criminal property damage, a misdemeanor; and attempted first-degree criminal property damage, a class B felony. The court also dropped one first-degree criminal property damage charge.
The court granted an oral motion for reduced bail to $15,000 by State Deputy Public Defender Samuel Jajich.
He said the significant reduction in the charges would indicate the need for a significant reduction of the initial bail amount of $31,000.
The motion was granted over the objection of Second Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Rebecca Vogt. She said that the lack of community ties would make the defendant a potential flight risk.
Judge Watanabe scheduled the trial date for May 28.
She also scheduled a status hearing for Jan. 22.
The initial Circuit Court arraignment was on Jan. 8 when Chief Judge Randal Valenciano recused himself and sent the case to Watanabe’s court.
The judge said that he was present at Kukui Grove Center the afternoon of Dec. 19 and saw the defendant walking out of the mall.
• Tom LaVenture, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or tlaventure@thegardenisland.com.
