Request to modify $100K cash bail of man accused of dousing gas on girlfriend denied

A request to modify the $100,000 bail imposed on a 24-year-old man accused of pouring gasoline on his girlfriend and setting fire to their house was denied yesterday.

Citing the seriousness of the charges, Superior Court Associate Judge Wesley Bogdan denied John Piteg Teregeyo’s motion to allow him to be released to a third-party custodian upon posting a property bond.

Assistant attorney general Chester Hinds had argued against the bail modification.

Assistant public defender Nancy Dominski argued for Teregeyo’s motion.

Chief Public Defender Douglas W. Hartig, counsel for Teregeyo, had proposed Teregeyo’s grandmother as the third-party custodian and Teregeyo mother as a secondary third-party custodian.

In the government’s opposition, assistant attorney general Teri C. Tenorio noted that the victim has been in constant communication with the Office of the Attorney General and has opposed Teregeyo’s release, as she is afraid of him and believes her safety and wellbeing are at risk.

“Notwithstanding the threat and attempt to kill and risk of danger to the victim, the nature and circumstances surrounding of this alleged criminal conduct underscores the significant danger to the community should the court release the defendant under any circumstances,” Tenorio said.

She said Teregeyo is alleged to have attempted to kill his then-girlfriend by dousing her, her clothes, their bed, and their bedroom with gasoline and pushing her in the bedroom to prevent her from fleeing as he lit the room on fire.

The prosecutor said police, firefighters, and medics found the victim hiding at a nearby house of the defendant’s relatives, drenched in gasoline.

Tenorio said witnesses described the victim as panicked and in fear of her life when she managed to escape and flee to safety.

Teregeyo was allegedly attempting to leave the crime scene but was spotted by two police officers, who managed to restrain him to prevent him from fleeing.

Tenorio said the arson investigators later determined the cause of the fire was incendiary. “There can be no doubt as to the weight of the evidence should this case proceed to trial,” she said.

Tenorio pointed out that the nature of this type of crime—attempting to kill an intimate partner—is so egregious that releasing Teregeyo “jeopardizes the safety and welfare of this victim and the CNMI community.”

The alleged victim told police that she and Teregeyo were having an argument in the house’s bedroom last Oct. 20 when he went outside, brought in a container filled with gasoline, and spilled it around the entrance of the bedroom, inside the bedroom, and on her body.

She said Teregeyo also choked and pushed her. He then allegedly shoved a shirt in her mouth.

The Office of the Attorney General charged the defendant with attempted first-degree murder, arson, assault and battery, and disturbing the peace—all related to domestic violence. Teregeyo pleaded not guilty.