The man who was sentenced yesterday for dousing a police officer with gasoline and threatening to set him on fire will spend the next five months in jail and five years on probation. Payton Rapozo, 21, was initially accused of
The man who was sentenced yesterday for dousing a police officer with gasoline and threatening to set him on fire will spend the next five months in jail and five years on probation.
Payton Rapozo, 21, was initially accused of attempted murder after walking toward Chris Gandeza, a police officer responding to a domestic abuse call, with two knives in his left hand behind his back — and gasoline in a cup in his right hand, on Jan. 7 in Kapa‘a, according to court documents.
Rapozo pleaded guilty to the lesser charges of first-degree attempted assault and first-degree terroristic threatening in May, which in and of themselves could have yielded as many as 15 years in prison, Public Defender Ken Norelli, Rapozo’s attorney, said.
Witness testimony contained in Rapozo’s court file states that after threatening Gandeza, Rapozo flung the contents of the cup onto him and began waving the knives around. He then lunged at the officer.
The witness testimony also states that Gandeza pulled out his firearm and told Rapozo to drop the knives, at which point Rapozo dropped the knives and pulled out a lighter from his pocket.
One of the witnesses then grabbed Rapozo and helped subdue him until backup arrived.
Describing his client as “very remorseful,” Norelli said
Rapozo had been depressed to the point of contemplating suicide when he threatened Gandeza.
That, combined with Rapozo’s young age and criminal history — he has no adult record — may have afforded Rapozo a second chance, Norelli said, noting, “Instead of going to prison, he will have the ability to get rehabilitated.”
Judge Kathleen Watanabe sentenced Rapozo to one year jail time in addition to five years probation, however he will get credit for time served in the case, for which he has been incarcerated since January.
Rapozo also will undergo anger management and job training upon his release.
Lauding Gandeza for his restraint in the incident, Norelli said, “He did a very professional job. …he is to be commended.”
Assistant Police Chief Roy Asher made a similar statement, citing Gandeza’s restraint as “exceptional.”
• Amanda C. Gregg, assistant editor/staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or agregg@kauaipubco.com.
