A 37-year-old Kurtistown man allegedly broke into a 45-year-old woman’s home, pounded on the woman’s bedroom door, and threatened to strangle her and torch her home if she didn’t let him into the bedroom.
The incident occurred at about 6:30 a.m. Thursday.
The woman, who lives on Poouli Road in Kurtistown, told police the intruder, Brian Shelton, said if she didn’t open the locked bedroom door he would “burn down your house with you in it.”
According to court documents filed by police, the woman made a video of Shelton holding a burning cushion while saying, “I’m going to burn your house down.”
The documents indicate the cushion, valued at about $30, was the only property damaged during the incident.
Shelton reportedly told police he lives at the home and is in a relationship with the woman. The woman told police Shelton does not live there and did not have permission to be on the property.
Court records indicate the victim has filed a domestic abuse complaint against Shelton.
Shelton is charged with kidnapping and first-degree arson — both Class A felonies punishable by up to 20 years in prison — first-degree burglary and first-degree terroristic threatening, a Class B and Class C felony, respectively.
At Shelton’s initial court appearance Monday, defense attorney Joseph Robello asked Hilo District Judge Jeffrey Hawk to free his client on supervised release, a form of cashless bail.
“I understand that the allegations are serious. But Mr. Shelton is concerned of possible, potential destruction of (his) property … in this case,” Robello said, adding that Shelton “no longer” has a place to live.
Deputy Prosecutor Georgia Berrenberg objected to the defense’s motion.
“The complaining witness in this matter has serious safety concerns, should this defendant be released,” Berrenberg said. “Also, as noted in the bail report, the defendant was placed on supervised release on Aug. 23 … and was arrested for this crime while he was on supervised release.”
Hawk maintained Shelton’s bail at $65,000 and ordered him to return to court Wednesday for a preliminary hearing.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
