Furlough inmate skips check-in at Hilo prison

A 60-year-old furlough inmate failed to return to prison in Hilo for his scheduled check-in Tuesday, the state Department of Public Safety said.

Michael Joyce was scheduled to report to the Hawaii Community Correctional Center at 4:30 p.m. He is serving time for second-degree assault.

Joyce is an inmate at the lowest custody level in an extended furlough program that allows inmates to live and work outside prison. But the inmates in the program must check in throughout the month.

Joyce is 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs about 150 pounds. He has brown hair and eyes. Anyone who sees Joyce is asked to call 911.

Crews put out fire in Wailea

A 7-acre brush fire sparked by an arcing electrical line in Wailea was extinguished Wednesday morning, Maui firefighters said.

The fire ignited at about 11 a.m. Tuesday, about 300 yards mauka of Kalai Waa Street, after an electric arc on a Maui Electric Co. transmission line dropped a shower of sparks onto dry grass , a Fire Department spokesman said.

Firefighters from Wailea, Kihei and Kahului battled the blaze throughout the afternoon and contained it before leaving the scene at about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Firefighters said kiawe trees had been smoldering inside the burned area and they planned to check on the fire Wednesday morning, when they determined it was extinguished.