An alleged domestic dispute turned physical early Tuesday and led to felony drug- and firearms-related charges against a Kailua-Kona couple.
Officers dispatched at 2:03 a.m. Tuesday to the 75-5000 block of Kalawa Street reportedly followed a trail of blood to the residence of 39-year-old Clint Delos Santos and 50-year-old Natalie Taketa, police said.
At the same time, officers were notified that a man, later identified as Delos Santos, had been dropped off at the Kailua-Kona fire station with injuries and was being transported to the Kona Community Hospital for treatment.
Police entered the open unit to check for any other injured individuals and determined it was unoccupied, but the officers allegedly saw items consistent with the distribution of methamphetamine.
Later the same day, Delos Santos was released from the hospital and taken into police custody without incident. Also later Tuesday, Taketa turned herself in at the Kealakehe police station, police said.
Detectives learned that Taketa and Delos Santos were in a domestic dispute that turned physical, which resulted in Delos Santos receiving a laceration on his leg and Taketa receiving injuries on her upper torso.
A search of the residence was conducted, resulting in the seizure of 244.5 grams of methamphetamine — more than a half pound — plus 14.6 grams of marijuana, 56 rounds of ammunition and paraphernalia consistent with methamphetamine distribution, police said.
Delos Santos was charged with two counts of first-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, being a felon in possession of ammunition, marijuana possession, and misdemeanor domestic abuse.
Taketa was charged with two counts of first-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, being a felon in possession of ammunition, and misdemeanor domestic abuse.
Delos Santos’ bail was set at $137,500, and Taketa’s bail was set at $137,000.
Kona District Judge Kimberly Taniyama on Thursday reduced Taketa’s bail to $50,000 and ordered her to return Monday for a preliminary hearing.
In a separate hearing, Taniyama denied Deputy Public Defender Nicole O’Kief’s motion to grant Delos Santos supervised release — a form of cashless bail — or to reduce his bail from the amount set by prosecutors. She also ordered Delos Santos to return Monday for a preliminary hearing.
In addition, Taniyama ordered both defendants not to contact each other if they are released from custody.
The most serious charges, first-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, is a Class A felony punishable by 20 years imprisonment.
At the time of his arrest, Delos Santos was free on $20,000 bail in another Class A felony drug case stemming from an incident in February, according to court records.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
