A felony terroristic threatening charge filed against a Hawaii Police Department sergeant following a domestic dispute at a Kapaau home in late January has been dropped.
Marvin Kelly Troutman Sr., who headed the department’s Area II Traffic Enforcement Unit before being placed on administrative leave following the Jan. 29 incident, now faces misdemeanor charges of second-degree terroristic threatening and abuse of a family or household member, according to court records. He is slated to enter his pleas to the offenses on March 4 before Judge Melvin Fujino in Waimea Family Court.
Court records indicate the state declined to prosecute the fourth charge, first-degree terroristic threatening, a felony, after a grand jury found probable cause to support the charge lacking. The veteran officer is slated to make an initial appearance at the end of March in Family Court, where the case is now assigned.
A message left with Hawaii County Prosecuting Attorney Mitch Roth’s office seeking comment on the dropped felony charge was not responded to as of press time on Thursday.
Troutman was arrested and charged with abuse of a family/household member, one count of felony terroristic threatening and two counts misdemeanor terroristic threatening following an early Jan. 29 incident at a home in Kapaau, according to police and court records.
Troutman is accused of pulling the hair of a 55-year-old woman believed to be his wife or ex-wife, and threatening her and another 18-year-old family member, according to police. A criminal complaint filed by prosecutors identified the woman as Rita Troutman and the 18-year-old as Marvin Troutman Jr.
Troutman also allegedly threatened police officer Jonathan Bartsch when he responded to the scene off Kynnersley Road, police said. The threat to the officer was a physical one that did not involve a weapon.
Troutman has been with the force for more than 21 years, most recently serving as sergeant of the department’s Area II Traffic Enforcement Unit.
He has been placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation to determine if he violated the department’s general orders and policies. The process usually lasts about 30 days, but could be extended, police said.
No criminal records for Marvin Troutman Sr. could be located by the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center.
Second-degree terroristic threatening and abuse of a family/household member are misdeameanor offenses punishable by up to one year incarceration and up to $2,000 in fines.