Kailua-Kona man charged in domestic abuse and $50,000 sporting goods burglary

Kristopher Zabriskie, 44, of Kailua-Kona faces a slate of criminal charges after two separate Hawaiʻi Island police investigations into a reported domestic assault and a high-value retail burglary.

Police say Zabriskie is connected to a Jan. 10 incident in which he went to the residence of an adult female acquaintance, "physically assaulted her following an argument and removed her cellular phone without permission." Authorities say Zabriskie fled the scene before officers arrived and a warrant was issued in the aftermath.

Detectives later identified Zabriskie as the primary suspect in a Feb. 4 burglary at a retail store on the 75-5000 block of Kopiko Street in Kailua-Kona. Police described the break-in this way: "An unknown individual had unlawfully entered the business overnight and removed numerous sporting goods, with an estimated value of $50,000." Officers located Zabriskie near an apartment complex later that afternoon, engaged in a brief foot pursuit, and he was "taken into custody without further incident."

Detectives with the Area II Criminal Investigation Section filed charges on Feb. 6. The list of offenses explicitly reported includes second-degree burglary, second-degree criminal property damage, first-degree theft, abuse of a family or household member, and fourth-degree theft. Bail was initially set at $67,000 when charges were filed; a Kona District Court judge reduced bail to $1,100 during a Feb. 10 appearance. Zabriskie is scheduled to enter a plea on Feb. 20.

The dual nature of the allegations - a domestic assault and a six-figure retail loss when adjusted for local economic scale - speaks to two separate community concerns: personal safety in private residences and the financial vulnerability of local businesses. For small retailers in Kona, a $50,000 inventory loss can ripple into higher insurance premiums, tighter margins, and reduced stock choices for customers. Repeated incidents of organized or high-value theft can also shift policing priorities and operational costs for local merchants, potentially affecting prices and jobs over time.

Police ask anyone who may have witnessed these incidents to contact Detective Jeremiah Hull, Area II Criminal Investigation Section, at (808) 326-4646, Ext. 224, or jeremiah.hull@hawaiipolice.gov. For non-emergencies call (808) 935-3311; dial 911 for emergencies. The Hawaiʻi Police Department office is at 349 Kapiʻolani Street, Hilo.

What comes next for residents is a court process: the Feb. 20 entry-of-plea hearing will clarify counts and how the cases will proceed. In the meantime, Kona business owners may want to review overnight security and inventory insurance, and neighbors should report tips that could help investigators.