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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, September 6, 2008

Fujikawa's father was jailed for assault in '06

By Jim Dooley
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Derrick Fujikawa

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Professional golfer Tadd Fujikawa's father Derrick, currently facing felony charges of methamphetamine trafficking, served two days in jail in 2006 in a misdemeanor assault case, court records show.

The assault occurred in December 2005 and Fujikawa was formally charged in February 2006. A criminal complaint said he caused bodily injury to victim Nick Senckowski. No other details of the incident were available. The Prosecuting Attorney's office yesterday would not discuss it.

Fujikawa entered what is called a DANC plea — deferred acceptance of no contest — to the charge in March 2006. That plea results in no criminal record if the defendant completes a specified term of court supervision without further problems with the law.

In Fujikawa's case, District Judge Rhonda Nishimura accepted the DANC plea and ordered the defendant to serve a weekend in jail, one year of court supervision as well as completion of a course in anger management.

He was to serve the two days in jail beginning April 21, 2006, but received a one-week delay after telling the judge that he was assistant coach of the Punahou School judo team and needed to attend a judo meet the afternoon of April 21.

Fujikawa successfully completed his term of court supervision, and the assault case was dismissed in May 2007.

He was indicted in July on two felony counts of first degree methamphetamine trafficking.

Fujikawa allegedly sold more than one-eighth of a gram of the illegal drug to an undercover police officer on Sept. 24 and Oct. 4, 2007.

He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and faces trial the week of Oct. 20.

The trafficking charges are punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

In arrest papers filed in the drug case, Fujikawa said he is a project manager for a local construction firm.

He is free on $50,000 bail pending trial.

Ellen Higuchi, Tadd Fujikawa's maternal grandmother , said she spoke yesterday morning with her daughter, Lori, who is in Switzerland, where Tadd was playing in the Omega European Masters.

"We have no comment, but Tadd is fine," Higuchi said.

Tadd Fujikawa missed the cut at the European Masters.

He had a poor start for the second straight day with bogeys on his first three holes en route to a 72 and a 3-over 145 total, three strokes above the cut.

"Small mistakes cost me the cut. You can't do that on any tour," said Fujikawa, 17. "I had a lot of chances but I couldn't make anything."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Reach Jim Dooley at jdooley@honoluluadvertiser.com.