An Ocean View man is facing charges of arson, reckless endangering and terroristic threatening for allegedly setting a home afire while four people were inside.
At 7:30 a.m. Thursday, 38-year-old James M. Thomas of Ocean View was charged with first-degree arson, first-degree terroristic threatening and four counts of second-degree reckless endangering. His bail was set at $64,000. He is being held at the Kona police cellblock pending his initial court appearance scheduled for Friday.
At 5:50 p.m. Tuesday, Kaʻu District officers responded to a fire on the 92-8200 block of Bamboo Lane in Hawaiian Ocean View Estates.
When they arrived, firefighters were at the scene of the three-bedroom house Thomas occupied with his family. Firefighters said they found a rear bedroom of the one-story home engulfed in flames upon their arrival. It took about an hour to extinguish the fire.
Investigation determined that Thomas intentionally started the fire while two women and two teenage boys were inside. No one was injured.
The home was determined to be a total loss because of fire, smoke and water damage. Damage was estimated at $145,000.