Kona man in custody for allegedly vandalizing telescope

A 30-year-old Kailua-Kona man is in custody for an alleged vandalism incident at a radio telescope facility on the upper slopes of Mauna Kea.

Lt. Richard Sherlock of Hilo Patrol Division said James Coleman was arrested on suspicion of criminal property damage to the Very Long Baseline Array, which is situated below the summit.

“The original complaint was that an individual was ramming vehicles at the site with his vehicle, and that he was attempting to break into the facility. That was the initial call,” Sherlock said Tuesday afternoon. “I’m not sure what he used to break in with yet.”

University of Hawaii spokesman Dan Meisenzahl told the Tribune-Herald police were called at about 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. Meisenzahl said there were two employees of the VLBA at the site and both were safe.

Sherlock said Coleman, who was taken to the Hilo police cellblock, had not been charged as of 2 p.m. In addition to property damage, police also are investigating possible charges of burglary and terroristic threatening.

Mauna Kea Access Road was closed at about 10:30 a.m. above the Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station for “safety,” according to Mauna Kea Support Services.

An employee at the Mauna Kea Visitor Information Center said the alleged vandal had rammed the gate to the facility with his pickup truck and attempted to gain entry to the building by battering a door with a fire extinguisher. The Tribune-Herald was unable to confirm that through either police or the university.

The VLBA consists of 10 identical telescopes in different locations between Hawaii and the Virgin Islands. It is controlled remotely from New Mexico.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated as information becomes available. See West Hawaii Today’s Wednesday edition for full story.

Email Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com and Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.