Police arrest contractor suspected of torching Kailua home

Forensic evidence found at the scene of an Enchanted Lake fire in May led to the arrest of a 25-year-old contractor who police believe started the fire intentionally because of a dispute over work done at the Kailua home, according to police documents.

Ozane Alexander Mosley Jr., of Kapolei, was arrested and charged Friday with first-degree arson of a home that was being renovated on Kupau Street in May. He posted $100,000 bail on Friday after he was charged.

The Kailua home was vacant when the fire was reported at 10:30 p.m. May 17. Mosley was burned during an explosion that occurred when the fire was ignited.

API Corp, a real estate company that owns the home, said there was a dispute with the contractor, Honolulu Home improvement, a police statement said. The real estate company had withheld final payment of $2,500 because it believed remodeling work was sub-standard and needed to be corrected.

Ozane Mosley Jr. was doing the remodeling work, police said.

The suspect was identified by tissue, blood and human skin found after the fire was extinguished on May 17.

The samples were collected from the downstairs stairway door, door knobs, concrete pavement outside the Enchanted Lake home, door jambs, walls and door frames.

The DNA profile obtained from the samples matched those of the suspect whose information was on file because he is a convicted offender, the police statement said.

Mosely’s girlfriend told police that she dropped off the suspect in Enchanted Lake on May 17 because he said he was going to spend the night at friend’s house.

After she dropped Mosley off, the woman said she got a text message from her boyfriend asking her to wait since his friend may not be home.

The girlfriend parked at McDonald’s restaurant in Enchanted Lake — three blocks away from the fire site — to wait.

A few minutes later, the woman said she saw “Mosley running towards her screaming in pain, with no shirt on, his pants smoking,” the police statement said.

The woman took Mosley to Castle Medical Center for treatment.

At 11:25 p.m., a police officer responding to a report of a man being treated for burns spoke with Mosley.

The suspect told the officer that he was helping his girlfriend move when their car ran out of gas.

While refueling the vehicle, the suspect said “some of the gasoline splashed onto his face and clothing,” the police statement said.

Mosley told police that “he got upset and decided to smoke a cigarette at which time he caught on fire.”

Witnesses told police they saw a man running from the fire scene carrying a blue five-gallon gas can.

A blue plastic gas container was found on May 18 from below the bridge at Keolu Drive and Kupau Street, along with a green disposable lighter.

During the arson investigation, a police detective said the intruder scratched a newly installed refrigerator and kitchen cabinets, and poured an ignitable liquid on the floor of the living room and kitchen and set it on fire.

Vapors from the liquid caused an explosion when the suspect lit the fluid, police said. The pressure of the explosive force cracked a door and two walls of the Kailua home.

Mosley has been convicted five times for car theft beginning in 2007.