Restraining order vs Camacho OK’d

Vicente Camacho

The CNMI Superior Court has granted the temporary restraining order requested by a man who alleged that Rep. Vicente Camacho (D-Saipan) and two others assaulted him last Friday, Oct. 29.

Superior Court Associate Judge Wesley Bogdan signed off last Tuesday on the temporary restraining order requested by Steve Koch, a 59-year-old man who alleged that Camacho and two others “jumped” him late Friday evening.

The temporary restraining order prohibits Camacho, three unnamed individuals, and Ignacio Concepcion from engaging in further physical harm, threats, disturbance, harassment, blocking, and verbal abuse against Koch and his family.

Camacho and the others named in the restraining order were instructed to return to court on Nov. 8, at 1:30pm.

According to the restraining order filed by attorney Charity Hodson on behalf of her client, Koch, his wife Magdalena, and his daughter Melanie sought the emergency order for protection because they claim they are victims of domestic violence by Camacho and Concepcion.

“They are terrified and fear for their personal safety and desire to prevent any further violence and harassment upon them,” said Hodson.

Hodson asked the court to order the respondents, including Camacho, to stay at least 200 yards away from Koch and his family, and to order the respondents not to interfere with their access to Freedom Drive, China Town, the road that they share with Concepcion within the Concepcion family compound.

In addition, Hodson asked the court to order the respondent to stay at least 200 yards away from Koch and his wife in their place of work, specifically the Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport and the DCCA Childcare Development Fund.

According to court documents, Koch alleges that two altercations on Oct. 29: one between him and Concepcion, and the other the alleged beating led by Camacho.

At around 4am that day, as Koch was driving home through Freedom Drive, he passed the home where Concepcion was living in. Concepcion allegedly approached Koch’s company-issued vehicle with a machete, yelling “Stop disturbing my property. I’m going to call the police,” before striking the left rear of the vehicle.

Camacho, for his part, allegedly called CPA that day to complain that Koch was abusing the company vehicle and was speeding up and down Freedom Drive.

Later that evening, at around 11pm, Koch and his daughter went for their evening walk along Freedom Drive and passed Concepcion’s home.

Koch stated that Concepcion was at his house that evening, together Camacho and his two nephews. As Koch and his daughter were walking through the Concepcion compound, they passed right in front of Concepcion’s home where Camacho allegedly came out with his other nephew.

When Koch told Camacho to stop calling him at work, that’s when the men allegedly began to attack him.

Court documents state that the men continued to beat Koch even when he was already on the ground and only pulled back when his daughter begged them to stop.

Camacho allegedly knelt on Koch’s neck while he was on the ground while the other two men hit him on the head.

In a separate interview with Camacho, the District 3 representative denied assaulting Koch, saying that Koch was the one who assaulted him and his two sons.