KAILUA-KONA — A man and a woman arrested this week on unrelated offenses have been charged with arson in connection with a deliberately-set fire at a Kona courthouse. ADVERTISING KAILUA-KONA — A man and a woman arrested this week on
KAILUA-KONA — A man and a woman arrested this week on unrelated offenses have been charged with arson in connection with a deliberately-set fire at a Kona courthouse.
Randi-Keli Banagan, 24, of Captain Cook and Kainoa Lindo, 22, of Honaunau, are both charged with first-degree arson, conspiracy to commit arson, first-degree criminal property damage and first-degree terroristic threatening.
Banagan is additionally charged with revocation of probation, as she was on probation from a 2014 Holualoa shooting.
Lindo is also charged with unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle for allegedly driving a stolen truck seen at the arson scene.
The fire occurred at 6:59 a.m. March 3 at the Big Island Drug Court, the same day Banagan was scheduled to be resentenced on a probation violation. Passersby put the fire out using fire extinguishers before first responders arrived. Two employees were inside the building when the fire was set, but no injuries were reported.
Banagan was on probation for a 2014 case where she shot a man in the chest. The case was initially assigned to Judge Elizabeth Strance, who sentenced Banagan to 18 months in prison and five years in probation. Upon her retirement, the case went to Judge Melvin Fujino.
During Banagan’s probation violation hearing she admitted to using meth and posted a $5,000 bond through a bond company.
The fire was against the door that leads directly into the staff offices and the judge’s chambers. There is a single door leading into those rooms, instead of the metal detector and other security apparatus of the main door.
The door was replaced the same day as the fire. However, the walls still hold the curve of the smoke that reaches almost to the roof.
Investigators determined that the people in a pickup truck and sedan seen in the courthouse parking lot were responsible for the fire. The pickup was stolen Jan. 29 from an apartment complex on Alii Drive.
The truck was recovered in Hookena on March 8. Police issued a release saying they were looking for Lindo on March 10.
On Sunday, both were involved in a gun threat at the scenic overlook on Kamehameha III Road, police said.
There, Banagan reportedly got out of a van and pointed a black handgun at a 17-year-old girl, police allege, while the girl was with another 17-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy. The teenagers saw Lindo in the van, police said, holding what looked like a rifle. The two suspects then fled the area without other incidents.
Lindo and Banagan were arrested separately on Monday.
Lindo’s bail was set at $810,000. Banagan’s was set at $1 million. Both remain at the cellblock pending their initial court appearance scheduled for today.
