A 32-year-old Kailua-Kona man has been arrested in connection with a fire that burned 150 acres of vacant land on the southside of Daniel K. Inouye Highway (Route 200) near the 50-mile marker on Thursday, July 21, 2022.
When South Kohala patrol officers responded to the brush fire reported at 5:43 p.m. they located a badly burned man, later identified as Jonathan Carter. Police immediately provided Carter with medical assistance until Hawaii Fire Department (HFD) 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.
Police ask anyone who may have information regarding this incident to contact Detective Tyler Prokopec at (808) 326-4646 Ext. 2224; or via email at tyler.prokopec@hawaiicounty.gov. They may also contact the Hawaii Police Department’s non-emergency number at (808) 935-3311.
Citizens who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300. Crime Stoppers does not record any calls or subscribe to caller ID.