Cop arrested for domestic violence

A police officer was arrested for allegedly beating his common-law wife and threatening to shoot her with his service firearm outside their house in Dandan Thursday afternoon.

Police Officer John K. Wabol Jr., 22, was arrested for assault and battery, and disturbing the peace.

When police officers responded to the scene, the wife was reportedly crying and shaking with fear. She had red marks on her neck.

The victim told police it was not the first time that Wabol physically abused her, but that Thursday’s was the worst yet.

The police officer was taken to the Superior Court yesterday for a bail hearing. Associate Judge Kenneth Govendo imposed a $10,000 cash bail for his temporary liberty. Preliminary hearing was set for March 11 at 9am.

Govendo ordered Wabol to surrender any and all firearms that he owns. The judge prohibited the police officer from having direct or indirect contact with the victim, her mother, and their children.

Detective Abaraham C. Villagomez stated in his report that the victim suspects that Wabol is seeing another woman so she had gone to Wabol’s residence in Dandan to pick up her children. As she was passing Jin Store, she saw Wabol’s car come into her lane so she pulled over. The officer approached the victim’s car, opened the passenger door, and took the car seat with one of the children.

Wabol transferred the car seat to his car and then left. The victim shouted for help at Jin Store then followed Wabol to his house.

When the victim got down and approached the house, Wabol allegedly punched her in the face. He then allegedly choked her.

The victim’s mother-in-law tried to stop the two from fighting.

The victim said she saw Wabol went to his vehicle and take his police issued firearm. This prompted the victim to run to their neighbor’s house where she stayed until police arrived.

Detective Villagomez said DPS received a call from an unknown person about a domestic incident Thursday at 4:34pm.

Villlagomez said when two police officers arrived at the scene, one of them asked Wabol for his police issued Smith and Wesson .9mm sidearm.

Wabol replied that his gun was in the house. When one responding officer checked the house, Wabol’s mother said the defendant had the gun on his back.

The victim later came out from a neighbor’s house after seeing police officers. Crying and shaking, she told police she was scared of Wabol.

When Police Officer Jesse Seman asked where the gun was, the victim said Wabol had it because he was chasing her to shoot her.

When Officer Seman approached Wabol and asked for the gun, the defendant claimed it was inside his personal vehicle. Wabol told Seman that he will get it from the car and at the same time tried to retrieve the gun from under the driver’s seat.

Officer Seman, however, instructed Wabol to stay away. When the defendant forced his way, Officer Seman placed him under arrest.