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Manoa harassment suspect released

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A 22-year-old homeless man, who Manoa residents want off the street for harassing people, was freed by a judge Monday while awaiting trial for challenging people to a fight this weekend.

Yama Fazzari was arrested Saturday for trying to pick a fight with people at Manoa Valley District Park. His District Court trial was set for 8:30 a.m. April 21.

Manoa Valley Neighborhood Security Watch members said that since early February Fazzari has been harassing residents near the Manoa Marketplace and other areas.

During a District Court hearing Monday afternoon Fazzari entered a plea of not guilty on a charge of harassment — a petty misdemeanor — stemming from Saturday night’s incident. The maximum penalty for petty misdemeanor is six months in jail.

Over the objections of a deputy city prosecutor, Fazzari was granted supervised release while awaiting trial. 

In asking for Fazzari’s supervised release, the suspect’s deputy defender said he has a full-time job at Domino’s Pizza and is a student at Kapiolani Community College.

Fazzari also was ordered to stay away from Manoa Valley District Park.

The court also rejected a request that Fazzari undergo substance abuse assessment and treatment, a spokesman for the prosecutor’s office said Tuesday.

Fazzari’s conviction record includes three petty misdemeanors and misdemeanors for third degree assault, second-degree assault and terroristic threatening as well two violations for disorderly conduct. His last convictions was 2011 for disorderly conduct, third-degree assault and second-degree terroristic threatening.

Manoa Neighborhood Security Watch members say a man fitting Fazzari’s description has been harassing residents.

On Feb. 7, according to the neighborhood watch, the suspect allegedly attacked a man three times on East Manoa Road.

On Wednesday. a man fitting Fazzari’s description followed a couple, who had given a ride to a female UH student to protect her from the man, to the Manoa Market Place. When the couple stopped behind a vehicle and the man got out, yelled at the driver’s side window and banged on the car’s hood. However, the suspect fled before police arrived.

However, police have said despite numerous reports posted by the Manoa security watch on its website, only two people have filed police reports. 

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