Police arrest and charge Volcano man for drug, firearms and theft offenses

Hawai’i Island police arrested and charged 55-year-old Jonathan Edward Kirkpatrick of Volcano, with an array of offenses pertaining to theft, auto theft, firearms, and drugs.

The charges stem from an incident that occurred on June 22 at 7:10 p.m. in the drive-thru of a Kea‘au business, in which an off-duty police officer observed a pickup truck strike a pole in the drive-thru.

Noticing that the pickup driver appeared to be slumped over and fearing that the driver was suffering a medical condition, the off-duty officer contacted the driver to render assistance. However, upon checking on the driver, the off-duty officer determined the man was not suffering a medical condition.

As uniform officers arrived, a check on the pickup truck revealed that it was reported stolen on June 16, from a residence in the Hawaiian Paradise Park subdivision. The driver, identified as Jonathan Kirkpatrick, was arrested for unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle (auto theft) and two outstanding bench warrants. The stolen vehicle was recovered and transported to the Hawai‘i Police Department’s secured vehicle warehouse.

Detectives with HPD’s Area I Criminal Investigation Section obtained and executed a search warrant on the pickup truck, recovering more than 29 grams of fentanyl, 9 grams of methamphetamine, 76 grams of marijuana, a loaded .357 magnum revolver, 12 rounds of .357 ammunition, three rounds of .22 ammunition, and a digital scale.

After conferring with the County Prosecutor’s Office on Friday, June 23, detectives with the Area I Criminal Investigation Section charged Kirkpatrick with the following offenses:

• Unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle (auto theft)
• Three counts of second-degree promotion of a dangerous drug
• Second-degree promotion of a detrimental drug
• Two counts of ownership prohibited
• Possession of loaded firearm on a highway
• Two counts of place to keep
• Possession of firearm with intent facilitate the commission of a felony drug offense.

His total bail was set at $237,000.

Kirkpatrick is currently being held at HPD’s East Hawai’i Detention Center pending his initial court appearance scheduled for June 26.

Those with information regarding this crime can also contact Detective Jeremy Kubojiri at jeremy.kubojiri@hawaiicounty.gov. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers doesn’t record calls or subscribe to caller ID. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.