A Kailua-Kona man in custody at the Hawaii State Hospital since a six-hour standoff with police in October will remain at the Department of Health-administered facility for another couple months pending a neuro-psychological examination.
A Kailua-Kona man in custody at the Hawaii State Hospital since a six-hour standoff with police in October will remain at the Department of Health-administered facility for another couple months pending a neuro-psychological examination.
Richard Denis Gorloff, 57, whose alleged threats triggered the standoff in Kalaoa on Oct. 10, 2019, was ordered to undergo the review during a hearing regarding his fitness to proceed with the case held Thursday before Kona Circuit Court Judge Robert D.S. Kim. The review request was made by Gorloff’s public defender, Ann Datta.
A neuro-psychological examination assesses how one’s brain functions, which indirectly yields information about the structural and functional integrity of a brain. Kim is set to rule on the results of the examination in late April.
According to court records, Gorloff at the time of the October incident was free on bail in connection with a July reckless endangering case that involved firearms. Gorloff, according to the complaint that alleges criminal property damage and firearms and protective order violations, intentionally fired a firearm recklessly placing a minor in danger of death of serious bodily injury and damaged a pickup truck and/or window “by means other than fire” on July 3.
He was deemed unfit to proceed in the July case in December with a review hearing set for February that was continued. Online court records did not include a new hearing date.
Gorloff was indicted Nov. 6, 2019, by a Kona grand jury on three counts of first-degree terroristic threatening and one count each of second-degree terroristic threatening and violation of an order for protection in connection with the alleged incident Oct. 10, 2019.
He was taken into custody following a nearly six-hour standoff that ensued after police were sent to his Ahulani Street home after receiving a report from the man’s ex-wife that he’d threatened to kill her. Gorloff refused to exit his residence and reportedly told officers that if they came any closer, he would blow up the residence.
Neighboring homes were evacuated and the Hawaii Police Department’s Special Response and Crisis Negotiation teams were deployed. Gorloff surrendered without incident about six hours later and was taken to Kona Community Hospital for treatment of an undisclosed condition.
