SHANE Mendiola, a police officer with the Department of Public Safety-Boating Safety Unit, and not a patrol officer as earlier reported, was charged with assault and battery and disturbing the peace.
Mendiola appeared before Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho on Friday for a bail hearing.
Mendiola has retained attorney Anthony Aguon who asked the court to release the defendant to his brother as his third-party custodian.
Assistant Attorney General Coleen St. Clair, who appeared for the government, asked that the $10,000 cash bail be maintained.
St. Clair said assault and battery is punishable by up to one-year imprisonment and a $1,000 fine, while disturbing the peace is punishable by up to six months’ imprisonment and a fine of $500.
After hearing from the parties, Judge Camacho released Mendiola to his brother as third-party custodian on a $10,000 unsecured appearance bond.
Judge Camacho also placed Mendiola under house arrest and said the defendant must be with his third-party custodian when he leaves the house.
In addition, Mendiola, 32, was ordered not to have any contact with his girlfriend.
The girlfriend of Mendiola told police that prior to the incident, she was having drinks with her three friends at Safe House bar in Garapan on July 14, 2021.
She said Mendiola arrived at the Safe House bar in police uniform, and approached her. She said he pulled the front waist of her pants and told her to go outside.
She then followed Mendiola outside who told her to get in his car. She said Mendiola also argued with her friends who told the girlfriend not to follow him.
She said as she rolled up the window of the car, she told Mendiola to shut up. And that was when Mendiola punched her in the mouth, she said.
She added that after punching her, “he pulled my hair and also pulled out my earring.”
Responding police officers found the two in As Matuis where the victim’s parent was telling Mendiola to leave the area.
Asked whether he punched her mouth, Mendiola told police, “I did not hit her!”
Mendiola told police that his girlfriend told him that she would go out with her friends, and then “pick up the kids and head home.”
He said after a couple of hours he called her, but she was not answering so he went to look for her and found her at Safe House.
Mendiola said he asked his girlfriend, “Why did you lie to me? I’ve been waiting for you, and you said you were going to dinner then you were going to pick up the kids.”
Mendiola said he was wearing his boating safety uniform because he did not have any other shirt at that time.
At the time of the incident, Mendiola was off-duty.
Mendiola was not arrested on the day of the alleged incident, but on the evening of July 15, 2021, an arrest warrant was issued against him.
Mendiola reportedly self-surrendered.
According to police, his girlfriend told them that Mendiola “is a good dad when he wants to be, but she’s more scared now than ever.”
Police said she also requested a Temporary Restraining Order, but “she doesn’t want to include the kids on the TRO because,” she added, “Mendiola will do anything for the kids.”
