Puna Information Update for April 9th, 2019

Hawaii Island Police Officer arrested and charged in family abuse investigation

Hawaiʻi Police Department Puna District, Area I Major Samuel Jelsma Phone: (808) 961-2341 Report No. 19-028239

Hawaiʻi Police Department Detectives have charged a 29-year-old Puna Patrol Officer with two counts of Abuse of a Household member and one count of second-degree Assault following an early morning off-duty domestic argument on Monday, (April 8), that result in injuries to a family member.

The officer is identified as a Daniel R. Ulrich of a Puna address. He has 1-year of service with Hawaiʻi Police Department.

The incident was reported to police by a 36-year old female family member who was treated at Hilo Medical Center yesterday morning for various injuries including bruising to the throat area. She was treated and later released.

Detectives from the Juvenile Aid Section were assigned to the investigation and arrested Ulrich at his Puna residence at 1:00 p.m. yesterday. He was charged this afternoon, (April 9), with one count of felony Abuse of a Family Household Member -Aggravated Strangulation, one count of misdemeanor Abuse of a Family Household Member, and second-degree Assault. Bail was set at $5000.00

Ulrich was hired as a police recruit with Hawaiʻi Police Department on, (February 16, 2018), and was assigned to a solo patrol assignment in the Puna district on, (January 1, 2019).

He is currently still within the standard initial 18-month new hire probationary period and has been placed on leave without pay pending the completion of an Administrative investigation.

Police ask anyone with any information about this incident to call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311 or contact Detective Levon Stevens at (808) 961-8839 or via email at levon.stevens@hawaiicounty.gov.