What started as a quiet upcountry day in Pukalani has turned into a courtroom drama involving one of Maui’s best known martial artists, an off-duty police lieutenant, and a clutch of baby ducks.
Penny Thomas, a four-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion who lives on Maui, pleaded not guilty Thursday to a misdemeanor assault charge after prosecutors said she punched an off-duty Maui police lieutenant during a neighborhood dispute in Pukalani. Thomas, 46, was arrested after the April incident, posted $1,000 bail, and is scheduled to return to court next week. Her status as both a champion competitor and longtime instructor has turned what might have been a low-profile altercation into a case drawing attention across the island.
According to Hawaii News Now, Thomas remained silent in court as her attorney, Erik Johnson, entered the not-guilty plea before Judge Christopher Dunn. Prosecutors say the confrontation began when Thomas’s daughter was handling baby ducks outside a neighbor’s home and that Thomas punched Lt. Jan Pontanilla multiple times in the face in front of Pontanilla’s house in Pukalani. Thomas is charged with assault in the third degree, a misdemeanor because the officer was off duty.
Thomas is a decorated grappler whose competitive record includes multiple world titles and ADCC honors, per Wikipedia. She has taught Brazilian jiu-jitsu on Maui for years and runs local classes that emphasize self-defense and women's empowerment, according to Mindful Martial Arts. That blend of elite credentials and community work helps explain why the arrest has stirred strong and sometimes sharply divided reactions in Maui’s tight-knit martial-arts scene.
Dispute Began Over Baby Ducks
Family members told neighbors that Thomas’s daughter had been handling newborn ducks outside the Pontanillas’ home, and what began as a caution about the birds escalated quickly, according to Hawaii News Now. Lt. Pontanilla’s mother, Diane, said, “I still have sleepless nights because of the incident. I can still see her face. Her eyes looking at me down.”
Pontanilla’s father Andy told Hawaii News Now he believed Thomas struck his daughter multiple times and called the alleged conduct a betrayal of the martial-arts ethos. Both Thomas and her attorney declined to be interviewed, the outlet reported, leaving their side of the confrontation for the courtroom rather than the cameras.
Charges And Next Steps
Thomas faces a misdemeanor third-degree assault charge and has pleaded not guilty. Her attorney invoked her right to a jury trial when entering the plea, and the arraignment was handled by Judge Christopher Dunn. Prosecutors are now preparing for trial while the court considers pretrial motions and discovery.
For now, the case is scheduled to return to court next week as detectives and prosecutors continue their work. Neighbors say the blow-up has left some residents shaken and has sparked debate over how quickly small neighborhood disputes can spiral when tempers flare. As the case moves forward, both island residents and the local martial-arts community are watching closely to see how the court resolves the charge against one of Maui’s most prominent instructors.
