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HPD sergeant pleads not guilty in misdemeanor spousal abuse charge

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BRUCE ASATO / basato@staradvertiser.com

HPD Sgt. Darren Cachola, right, appears with his attorney William Harrison in Judge Kevin Souza’s courtroom for his arraignment today on a misdemeanor abuse charge.

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COURTESY HPD

Honolulu police Sgt. Darren Cachola

A Honolulu police sergeant pleaded not guilty today during his initial court appearance on a misdemeanor abuse charge involving his estranged wife.

Sgt. Darren Cachola, 46, appeared at his arraignment before Family Court Judge Kevin Souza at Honolulu District Court on charges of one count of misdemeanor abuse and two counts of petty misdemeanor harassment.

His attorney, William Harrison, entered a not guilty plea to the charges on his behalf.

Souza scheduled another hearing for July 1.

Harrison appeared in District Court on Cachola’s behalf for his initial arraignment held in May. He was re-arraigned today after a judge transferred the case to Family Court.

Cachola, a 23-year police veteran, declined to comment on the charges.

He is on restricted duty after HPD removed his police powers as they investigate the alleged offenses.

Cachola and his wife are divorcing.

His wife filed a civil lawsuit in April accusing him of assault and battery in 2017 and alleges negligence, conspiracy and infliction of emotional distress by him and some members of the police department.

In 2014, HPD stripped Cachola of his badge and gun after a surveillance video showed him in a brawl with his former girlfriend in a Waipahu restaurant. He was fired but reinstated after an arbitrator reversed the decision.

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