Cop Promoted Despite History Of Domestic Violence Accusations Filmed Allegedly Beating Up Girlfriend

Hawaii News Now
Sep. 15, 2014

A recently-promoted Honolulu Police Department sergeant with a history of domestic violence accusations is under internal investigation after a security surveillance video surfaced showing him apparently beating up his girlfriend in the Waipahu restaurant where she works.

But the girlfriend told police investigators and Hawaii News Now it was a “misunderstanding” and the two were “just playing around.”

The video showed off-duty HPD Sgt. Darren Cachola --- an 18-year police veteran -- appearing to assault the woman, who says her name is Deberah.

She's a manager at Kuni Restaurant in Waipahu that had closed for the night when the incident happened about 10:20 p.m. Monday.

The video showed him repeatedly punching her as they moved through at least two rooms at the restaurant. Co-workers can be seen coming to her aid.

[...]Sources said the internal affairs investigation will focus on Cachola's actions but also on whether the responding officers failed to do their jobs, since if there was probable cause such as injuries or surveillance video, the officers should have arrested Cachola and initiated an assault case, which didn't happen.

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