Police Report: Mom Says Big Island Prosecutor Threatened To Shoot Her Son
A number of neighbors have had issues with the deputy prosecutor, Winston Albright, but he has kept his job as the cases get dismissed or resolved behind closed doors.
A Big Island deputy prosecutor with a history of disputes with his neighbors allegedly threatened to shoot a teenager who he felt was harassing him, according to a police report filed last year.
The Hawaii Police Department recently released the report in response to a public records request. The prosecutor’s boss said he’s aware of the allegation, as well as previous ones, but none have warranted disciplinary action thus far.
Randall Winston Albright called police on July 8, 2021 to say Precious Dela Cruz, his neighbor in Ainaloa, was harassing him by confronting him about the video he recorded of her teenage son who was riding his noisy dirt bike on the road as he often did.
According to the report, Albright said the teenager scared him by calling him a derogatory name.
In an interview with police, Dela Cruz said Albright told her son: 鈥淚 have a gun and if you come on my property, I will shoot you.鈥
The boy, 16 at the time, said he didn鈥檛 see a gun 鈥渂ut felt alarmed by Albright鈥檚 actions.鈥 The boy thought Albright might have been concealing the weapon behind his back, according to the report.
Dela Cruz also told police that Albright鈥檚 wife, Nicole, 鈥渉ad chased her son numerous times with a broom in previous occasions.鈥
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Three days after the July 8 incident, Albright contacted police, according to the report. Sgt. Shawn Tingle told Albright he needed to come to the police station to be advised of his rights and to make a statement.
Albright told police he does not own a gun and that Dela Cruz lied. The prosecutor said he was in Kona, on the other side of the Big Island, and could not come to the Puna police station.
鈥淚 advised Albright that I could make arrangements for him to be interviewed in Kona, at which point Albright stated that he would 鈥楲awyer up,鈥 and that he stands by the statement he made to Officer Rapoza on 7-8-21,鈥 Tingle wrote.
Officer Jonathan Rapoza, who responded to Albright’s call on July 8, referred the case to the Hawaii County Prosecutor’s Office, where Albright works. Because investigating one of their own employees would pose a conflict of interest, they forwarded the case on to the state Attorney General鈥檚 criminal division. Lawyers for the AG transferred it to the Kauai County Prosecutor’s Office for review.
Kauai Deputy Prosecutor Keola Siu was assigned to review the case, according to an email thread from that office, but he declined to prosecute it. A phone call to Siu requesting comment on his decision was not returned.
“Our office takes allegations like these seriously,” Hawaii County Prosecutor Kelden Waltjen said in an email to Civil Beat.
But Waltjen noted that no further prosecutorial action or charges were filed based on the facts and circumstances alleged. His office consulted with the Office of Disciplinary Counsel, Office of the Corporation Counsel, the Mayor鈥檚 Office and the Department of Human Resources. He declined to comment further as it’s an ongoing human resources matter.
Hilo attorney Francis Alcain, who recently represented Albright in a neighbor dispute in Paukaa, said Albright is no longer his client so he is not authorized to speak on his behalf. Albright’s new attorney is Doug Halsted who did not return a phone call seeking comment on his client.
Albright鈥檚 problems with neighbors both in the Puna District and north of Hilo are extensive and ongoing.
Joseph Alpuro told Civil Beat in August that his mom Angela Quiroz used to live next to the Albrights on Hanalae Drive. She was a single mom with three kids who would often play in the street. Albright would videotape the kids playing, say they were harassing him, and call the cops, Alpuro told Civil Beat.
Process server Krysty Kubojiri said Albright called the cops on her in July 2021 after she showed up at his house in Puna to serve him a summons in the Dela Cruz case even though she was within her rights. A police officer responded and “Albright was advised that a trespass case would not be generated as he has no grounds,” according to the police report.
In Paukaa, the Albrights have an ongoing dispute with their neighbors, Micah and Jessica Gauthier, that involves allegations of property line violations, security cameras and surveillance videotaping. A judge recently dismissed a temporary restraining order against the Albrights by the Gauthiers. A case by the Albrights against the Gauthiers remains active.
The Gauthiers have filed complaints against Albright with the Hawaii Bar Association, the Office of Disciplinary Council and the Hawaii County Board of Ethics.
