Doctor hurt in burglary at lawyer’s apartment

A physician was injured when he, a lawyer, and a friend were allegedly attacked with a screwdriver when they tried to stop a man from burglarizing an apartment in Garapan on Thursday night.

Dr. Marty Rohringer’s left middle knuckle was injured when the suspect, John Chandler Hamilton, 27, allegedly swung a screwdriver at him and at attorney Mathew Jay Holley and Adam Z. Harris.

Rohringer, Holley, and Harris subsequently pinned Hamilton to the floor of the Brabu Pharmacy building until a police officer arrived.

John Chandler Hamilton, left, emerges with a court marshal from the courtroom of Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho after yesterday’s bail hearing. Hamilton allegedly attacked a doctor, a lawyer, and another man who tried to stop him after he burglarized an apartment unit in Garapan on Thursday night. (Ferdie de la Torre)

Police said Hamilton confessed that he burglarized Holley’s apartment by entering the front door and that he stole a laptop and a purple purse.

His bail was set yesterday at $20,000 cash.

Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho said a private counsel will be appointed for Hamilton after Chief Public Defender Douglas Hartig withdrew as counsel as Holley used to be an assistant public defender.

Preliminary hearing will be on April 22 at 9am.

Assistant attorney general Chester Hinds appeared for the government at the hearing.

Police detective Edward M. Cepeda stated in his report that a police officer was dispatched to a reported robbery in progress near Brabu Pharmacy on Thursday at 9:47pm.

When the officer arrived at the scene, Rohringer, who was on the second floor of the building, flagged him down.

When the officer reached the second floor of the building, he saw Rohringer, Holley, and Harris pinning down Hamilton on the floor. Rohringer, Holley, and Harris are tenants of the building.

According to Holley, he was inside Rohringer’s apartment on the second floor when they heard his wife screaming from their unit on the third floor.

Holley and Rohringer ran out of the apartment and saw Hamilton running down the stairs holding a purse, laptop, and other items.

Holley and Rohringer tried to stop Hamilton, who allegedly pulled an orange screwdriver and swung it at them, hitting the doctor.

Holley and Rohringer, with the assistance of Harris, then subdued Hamilton.

Police learned that prior to the burglary, Holley and his family visited Rohringer’s apartment.

Holley’s wife and their son later decided to go back to their unit on the third floor because they were tired.

When the wife entered their apartment, she noticed her laptop was missing on the table. She later heard noise coming from one of the rooms.

When she checked the room, she saw Hamilton holding her purse and some bags and running out of the door. She then screamed for help.