A 39-year-old man has been charged with attempting to kidnap two intermediate school students Tuesday in Kihei, Maui police said today.

Edward James Martin, of Kihei, was charged with first-degree attempted kidnapping and his bail was set at $40,000.

Police said an official at Lokelani Intermediate School received a report about two men in a Mercedes sedan attempting to lure two female students into the car at about 7:20 a.m. Tuesday.

The girls, who were walking on Aliilani Place to a bus stop on their way to school, refused, and the driver drove away.

The school official and Maui police located the sedan on South Kihei Road. The driver, a 45-year-old Kihei man, was arrested for investigation of first-degree attempted kidnapping, but was released pending further investigation.

Martin, who police said was the passenger in the sedan, was later located and arrested.