Man charged with arson in Volcano fire
Hawaii Island police charged Friday a 32-year-old man with second-degree arson in connection with a Nov. 17 fire in the Volcano Golf & Country Club subdivision in Volcano.
Justin Michael Bardwell is accused of breaking into and vandalizing a vacation rental before setting a fire that destroyed many of the building’s contents prior to the Hawaii Fire Department extinguishing the blaze.
Bardwell, held in lieu of $10,000 bail, was arrested Friday at the Old Kona Airport Park in Kailua-Kona and is scheduled to appear in Hilo District Court Monday, police said.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to call the department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311 or police Det. Kelly Moniz at (808) 961-2378, or via email at kelly.moniz@hawaiicounty.gov.