Hawaii Island police have arrested a 32-year-old Kailua-Kona man in connection with a fire that burned 150 acres of brush on the southside of Daniel K. Inouye Highway (Highway) near mile marker 50 mile marker on Thursday,.
When South Kohala patrol officers responded to the brush fire reported at 5:43 p.m. they located a badly burned man, who was later identified as Jonathan Carter. Police immediately provided Carter with medical assistance until Hawaii Fire Department personnel arrived.
Carter was subsequently transported to Queen’s North Hawai‘i Hospital with non-life-threatening burn injuries.
As HFD personnel worked to contain the brush fire, officers began investigating the cause of the blaze. Upon closer examination, police determined that Carter may have been responsible for causing the fire.
Carter was arrested for arson and released from police custody pending further investigation. He remains hospitalized at this time.
No other injuries were reported and no structures were damaged as a result of the fire.
Anyone who may have information regarding this incident shoulud contact Detective Tyler Prokopec at (808) 326-4646, ext. 224; or via email at tyler.prokopec@hawaiicounty.gov. They may also contact the Hawaii Police Department’s nonemergency number at (808) 935-3311.
Those who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300.