Homeless man arrested in arson case
A 56-year-old homeless man was arrested Tuesday for allegedly setting fire to a Wahiawa auto body shop last week, resulting in nearly $600,000 in damage.
The suspect was arrested at Castle Medical Center at 5:30 p.m., where he had been taken for a psychological evaluation Nov. 26 after a witness reported seeing the suspect leave Jetso Auto Center on Palm Street after the fire started.
It took eight fire companies with 34 personnel about a half-hour to to extinguish the fire, which was first reported about 3:30 p.m.
The fire caused damage of $480,000 to the structure, $100,000 to its contents and an additional $10,000 to vehicles located outside the structure on the same property, according to Honolulu Fire Department spokesman Capt. David Jenkins.
Fire investigators determined that an accelerant was used in setting the fire, Jenkins said.
2 suspects sought in Hilo burglary
Hawaii County police are seeking information regarding a burglary at a Hilo auto service center.
Police said Wednesday two unidentified people broke into Kamaaina Motors between 11:30 p.m. Sunday and 12:30 a.m. Monday and took tools and equipment.
Anyone with information about this burglary is asked to call officer Gabriel Wilson at 961-2213 or the police non-emergency number at 935-3311.
Anonymous tipsters may call CrimeStoppers at 961-8300.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Tree trimmer dies after fall on Big Island
A man died Wednesday on Hawaii island while trimming a tree.
Hawaii County police identified the man as Christopher Volpa, 26, of Kailua-Kona.
Police responded to a 10:20 a.m. call Wednesday regarding a man who was unconscious and may have fallen out of a tree at a house on the 78-7000 block of Kuakini Highway.
Volpa was found lying on the road with burn marks. He was next to a long tree-trimming pole, which also had burn marks, police said.
Police said he had been trimming branches near electrical power lines.
Volpa was taken to Kona Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 1:38 p.m.
An autopsy has been ordered to determine the cause of death.
Chinese string instruments plucked by thief
Hawaii County police are seeking help in locating a pair of traditional Chinese musical instruments that were taken from a home recently in the Hawaiian Paradise Park subdivision.
The instruments are described as a “pipa” and a Chinese violin. A pipa is a four-stringed, pear-shaped wooden instrument. A Chinese violin is a wooden two-stringed bowed instrument.
Police ask anyone with information about these instruments to call the police department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311 or contact officer Daniel Tam at 965-2716.
Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call CrimeStoppers at 961-8300.
