The Waimea Canyon School security manager who faces extradition to Washington had a bench warrant issued after he failed to appear for arraignment April 10 on felony theft charges. Todd Erik Lundquist, 40, of Waimea, was charged with three counts
The Waimea Canyon School security manager who faces extradition to Washington had a bench warrant issued after he failed to appear for arraignment April 10 on felony theft charges.
Todd Erik Lundquist, 40, of Waimea, was charged with three counts of second-degree theft and three counts of first-degree theft, for allegedly defrauding the drug store chain Rite-Aid of at least $5,250. The indictment was filed April 3 in King County Superior Court.
“Of course, I was shocked because his work performance was so exemplary,” said Waimea Canyon School Vice Principal Gary Kitabayashi. “Toward the end of any school year, it gets busy, but it’s under control,” he added. Lundquist will appear in Fifth Circuit court June 5 for a hearing on the status of extradition. Kitabayashi said he didn’t know whether Lundquist would return to WCS to work.
Records from the Redmond Police Department allege that Lundquist stole more than $26,500 from a drug store chain called Rite Aid and then laundered the money using the bank accounts belonging to his ex-girlfriend and her daughter, and ex-wife.
Lundquist is a retired state trooper and may possess firearms, according to a King County prosecutor’s report to determine bail and conditions of release. The same report states that Lundquist’s ex-wife alleges he “has both an alcohol problem and a gambling addiction,” estimating that he lost about $250,000 over the course of their marriage.
A report from the Redmond Police Department claims that several witnesses came forward to report Lundquist. The same report claims that “Todd Lundquist was using his position at Rite Aid as the Loss Prevention Manager to steal money from the Rite Aid Corporation.”
That police department found that Lundquist completed fraudulent paperwork and fraudulently hired his ex-girlfriend and her daughter and wife (now divorced) without their prior knowledge. “It was learned throughout the investigation that suspect Todd Lundquist used intimidation and threats to carry out his crimes with the victims,” the report continues.
The complaint alleges that on July 25, 2002, Lundquist took $2,500 in cash from a Rite Aid store employee after telling her that he was a store attorney. On June 12, 2002, Lundquist allegedly instructed another employee who was caught shoplifting to send him three cashier’s checks totaling $5153.03. Fraudulently obtained salary for the three women totals $25,160.
The Washington police report also claims that Lundquist’s ex-wife told police that she was physically and verbally abused, and filed for divorce in July 2002, which was granted Jan. 28 2003. Two protective orders were filed against him on behalf of Lundquist’s brother-in-law, ex-wife and two children. Both orders expire July 26.
School safety program coordinator Rodney Goo has said earlier that the Department of Education carried out a background and criminal check on Lundquist, which found that he had a clean criminal abstract as of December 2002, when he was hired.
Goo was not available to comment on this situation, but has said that he hasn’t received information. Kaua’i District Superintendent Daniel Hamada noted that though he has met Lundquist, he has not yet received any reports from the DOE’s Safety and Security Division.
Staff Writer Kendyce Manguchei can be reached at mailto:kmanguchei@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext. 252).
