Two people have been charged with arson in connection with a March 3 fire at the Big Island Drug Court on Halekii Street in Kealakekua and a March 13 terroristic threatening case.
Randi-Keli Banagan, 24, of Captain Cook was charged Wednesday with first-degree arson, conspiracy to commit arson, first-degree criminal property damage, first-degree terroristic threatening and revocation of probation. Her bail was set at $1 million.
Hawaii island police said Kainoa Lindo, 22, of Honaunau was also charged Wednesday with first-degree arson, conspiracy to commit arson, first-degree criminal property damage, vehicle theft and first-degree terroristic threatening. His bail was set at $810,000.
They are charged in connection with the fire that occurred at about 7 a.m. March 3, police said. The blaze was put out by passers-by using fire extinguishers from the court building before police and firefighters arrived.
Two employees were in the building at the time
but were not injured. Damage was confined to the front door and a wall, police said.
The fire was tied to occupants of a pickup truck and a sedan seen in the court parking lot, police said.
Police determined that the pickup truck had been stolen Jan. 29 from the parking lot of an apartment complex on Alii Drive. Police recovered the truck in Hookena on March 8.
Lindo was arrested on suspicion of vehicle theft March 14 and held at the Kona police cellblock while police continued their investigation.
Also on March 14, Banagan was arrested in connection with a gun threat that occurred at the scenic lookout off Kamehameha III Road in Keauhou, and also held in custody.
In that incident on March 13, a woman had gotten out of a van and pointed a black handgun at a 17-year-old girl who was accompanied by two other teenagers, police said. A male suspect whose face was concealed was holding what was described as a rifle, police said, and the pair fled without further incident. Police said their investigation determined that Lindo was the male suspect.