Yahoo Sports Report: B.J. Penn allegedly threatened neighbor with machete over trespassing dispute
UFC Hall of Famer B.J. Penn allegedly threatened a farmer near his property with a machete in 2018, adding yet another legal issue to his already crowded plate less than a month before he is set to get back into the octagon.
According to a report from MMA Junkie, Penn is under an active investigation in Hawaii after allegedly threatening a taro farmer with a machete after a dispute over trespassing.
Police released an all-points bulletin in January 2018, per the report, stating that Penn was wanted by police and accused of first-degree terroristic threatening. The case is still active because “all parties involved have not been located (or) contacted yet, and it cannot be routed to the prosecutors until complete," according to MMA Junkie.
According to the police report, Penn went to the man’s property with a machete while “calling him to come out of his farm house.” The man “feared for his life and remained inside of his residence where he hid” while Penn “started to strike the ground with the machete and state that he was going to kill him.”
Penn allegedly returned later on an ATV and caused damage to the victim’s gate. The victim “felt unsafe there and feared for his life so he left the area and reported the incident to police.”
Penn’s attorney, Gary Levitt, was shocked when he learned of the allegation about the machete. He told MMA Junkie that he knew of the dispute, but “strenuously denied any violent behavior” and said that Penn has not been contacted by police.
"B.J. said he's never given a statement to the police; they haven't told him he's got a terroristic threatening charge, or there are charges pending," Levitt said, via MMA Junkie. "He just said there was an incident, it was over one year ago, and it had to do with a gate. There was no threatening or machete or anything like that."
Penn’s other legal troubles
Penn’s longtime partner filed a restraining order against him earlier this month, alleging that he verbally, physically and sexually abused her over their 10-year relationship.
Shealen Uaiwa alleges that the abuse includes incidents that occurred in front of their two children, including one time when Penn allegedly wrestled her to the ground to get her phone. She wrote that he has “been a drug addict since he was 14” and even once spilled cocaine on their oldest daughter.
Penn has not been arrested or charged with any crimes, and Uaiwa said she didn’t report the incidents because she was scared.
Penn was accused publicly of sexual assault in 2016 by Pedro Alex Carrasco, a former BJPenn.com editor, who said Penn sexually assaulted his girlfriend. Penn was not charged after an investigation by law enforcement.
Penn scheduled to fight in May
Penn is set to return to fight against Clay Guida at UFC 237 in Rio de Janiero, Brazil, on May 11, his first fight since December.
Penn has struggled since he came out of retirement in April 2016, and lost six consecutive fights. He currently holds a 16-13-2 record, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.
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