Standoff suspect deemed unfit for trial

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A 41-year-old Volcano man who allegedly pulled a gun on his wife and two children during a domestic dispute in September has been found unfit to stand trial.

A 41-year-old Volcano man who allegedly pulled a gun on his wife and two children during a domestic dispute in September has been found unfit to stand trial.

Hilo Circuit Judge Glenn Hara on Tuesday ordered Ben Lucas Domingo committed to Hawaii State Hospital in Kaneohe, Oahu, for treatment.

Two of three mental health examiners, psychiatrists Andrew Bisset and Henry Yang, found Domingo unfit to proceed. Psychologist Tom Cunningham found Domingo fit.

Hara noted that Yang and Bisset opined Domingo was still a danger to himself and found him unfit by a “preponderance” of evidence.

Hara set a review hearing for 8 a.m. Jan. 14.

The examinations were ordered in Hilo District Court, and Domingo was to have had a fitness hearing there Thursday, but a Hilo grand jury indicted Domingo on Oct. 7 for kidnapping, being a felon in possession of a firearm, four counts of terroristic threatening, and two counts of violating a protective order.

Domingo appeared at Tuesday’s hearing in custody, unable to post $117,000 bail. The judge’s ruling suspends proceedings in the case until Domingo is found fit to proceed.

The police Special Response Team, the department’s SWAT unit, responded to the family’s Mokuna Street home the evening of Sept. 4 and members of the Crisis Negotiation Team communicated with the family all night.

Domingo was arrested the following morning without incident and no one was injured.

Police served a search warrant and found a .22-caliber semi-automatic pistol, according to court documents.

Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.