Hawaiʻi Island police detectives charged 45-year-old Justin Makoto Pittullo, following a nearly 9-hour Hilo standoff late Friday night. After conferring with Hawai’i County prosecutors, Pittullo was charged with the following offenses:
- First-degree terroristic threatening
- Harassment
- Civil-TRO violation
His bail was set at $14,000. The charges against Pittullo stem from a March 15 incident where Hilo patrol officers responded to a Ponahawai Street residence for a report of a man threatening a female tenant, which was in violation of an active temporary restraining order. Officers determined that Pittullo, had barricaded himself within the upstairs portion of the residence where he resides, and refused to exit to speak with them. He also verbally threatened the officers and threatened to burn and blow up the house. Due to the threats made by Pittullo, and his refusal to exit the residence, officers evacuated the downstairs tenants, and secured a perimeter. The department’s Special Response Team and Crisis Negotiators were activated along with detectives from Area I Criminal Investigation Section (CIS), who responded to the scene. Crisis Negotiators continued to establish communication with Pittullo throughout the night in attempts to have him voluntarily surrender. Area I CIS detectives obtained a search warrant to enter and search the residence. Shortly after 7:30 a.m. on March 16, Special Response Team officers arrested Pittullo, without incident. There were no reported injuries to Pittullo, tenants of the residence, or police personnel. Pittullo remains in police custody in lieu of bail. He is scheduled to appear in Hilo District Court this afternoon. Anyone who may have information regarding this incident is asked to call Detective David Poohina of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section, at (808) 961-2385 or via email at david.poohina@hawaiicounty.gov.
HPD Photo