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Man who critically injured officer is sentenced to 16 years

Hokuokalani Patoc would have faced life imprisonment without the possibility of parole at his sentencing Friday for critically injuring a Honolulu police officer by twice striking the back of his head with a foot-long metal car jack extension in the early morning hours of Feb. 16, 2023, in Laie. But on Jan. 19 an Oahu Circuit Court jury found Patoc guilty, not of the first-degree attempted murder offense he was charged with, but of the lesser crime of first-degree assault. So instead of life without parole, Circuit Judge Paul Wong sentenced him to the maximum term allowable: 16 years in prison.

By Craig T. Kojima

Sept. 27, 2024 • Updated 12:09 a.m.

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Hokuokalani Patoc, right, speaks for a few moments with family members after Friday's sentencing.
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Deputy Prosecutor Lawrence Sousie, left, court appointed attorney Keith Shigetomi and Hokuokalani Patoc.
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Honolulu police officer Nakia Newton, who was hurt in the attack, speaks on Friday.
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Hokuokalani Patoc during sentencing.
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Sept 27, 2024 CTY Star-Advertiser photo by Craig T. Kojima CKOJIMA@STARADVERTISER.COM. Sentencing of Hokuokalani Patoc for assault 1. He attacked a police officer with a metal tool and drove off and led police on an island-wide chase that ended at Iolani Palace.
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Court appointed attorney Keith Shigetomi, left, and Hokuokalani Patoc.

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