Maui police on Monday arrested a 28-year-old man suspected of setting the 9,000-acre wildfire in South Maui, resulting in the evacuation of thousands of residents.
The man, who has no local address, was taken into custody at 7:22 p.m. on suspicion of first-degree arson and unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle.
The fire began July 11 off Waiko Road and burned 9,000 acres spanning from Waikapu to Kihei.
The suspect has a long conviction record dating back to 2009 that includes burglaries, drug charges, vehicle break-ins, thefts, habitual property crime and drunken driving.
Police released him pending further investigation on the arson case. However, he was held on unrelated arrest warrants.
The suspect was in court Tuesday and pleaded no contest to unrelated criminal contempt of court and failure to appear charges.
Police are continuing to search for a suspect in a second fire that scorched another 200 acres on July 12 in Central Maui in Puunene off Hookele Street, prompting the evacuation of people at Target, Lowe’s and Safeway.
Police had issued on July 12 a description of a suspect vehicle — a maroon Ford pickup truck — in connection with the Central Maui fire, after witnesses told police the truck was seen leaving the area that day. But police said on Tuesday that after locating and interviewing the driver of the truck, they cleared that person as a suspect in the Hookele Street fire.
“The Hookele Street fire is still being investigated as an arson unless we find otherwise,” Maui Police Department spokesman Lt. Gregg Okamoto said. He added that he could not discuss details about either ongoing investigation.
