Ex-officer gets a chance to clear road rage charges

Former Honolulu police officer Keoki Duarte is getting an opportunity to remove charges from his criminal record related to him beating up a truck driver who had accidentally hit his car.

Duarte pleaded no contest to felony unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle and misdemeanor assault in April.

State Circuit Judge Shirley Kawamura granted Duarte’s request Thursday to defer his no-contest pleas for four years. If Duarte stays out of trouble with the law and doesn’t violate any court-ordered conditions during his four years of supervision, the charges will be dismissed.

The charges stem from a Dec. 7, 2015, beating on Farrington Highway near the Kahe power plant. Truck driver Jonard Escalante said he pulled over after accidentally hitting Duarte’s car while changing lanes.

Escalante said Duarte, who was off duty at the time, got out of his car, shouted and swore at him, pulled him out of the truck and threw him to the ground. He said Duarte then punched, kicked and choked him until he began to black out.

Other motorists told police they saw the assault and got Duarte to stop, but Duarte’s mother, who was a passenger in Duarte’s car, said she didn’t see it.

The Honolulu Police Department fired Duarte in October. He had been a police officer for eight years.