Kaneohe man is charged under tougher arson law
Police and fire officials praise rules that boost prison time and fines
A 42-year-old Kaneohe man is the first person charged under a new arson law for allegedly setting fires in Kaneohe at the post office and twice at a gas station.
Christopher Buckley was charged Thursday with three counts of second-degree arson, a Class B felony, which carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison or a maximum $15,000 fine. Bail was set at $35,000.
The new law establishes a 20-year maximum penalty for first-degree arson, a Class A felony. However, Buckley is charged with a Class B felony, the maximum he could have faced under the old law for first-degree criminal property damage.
Fire and police officials lauded the new law, saying it was at least five years in the making.
"It's important because fires destroy lives, destroy property; it impacts the whole community," said Battalion Chief Lloyd Rogers.
Rogers also said intentionally set fires put firefighters at risk and divert Fire Department resources away from other fires as well as medical calls, to which firefighters also respond.
Honolulu police Capt. Frank Fujii added that police and Emergency Medical Services also expend personnel to respond to intentionally set fires.
At about 7:40 p.m. Wednesday, Buckley drove into the Kaneohe Shell service station and paid $2 for gas. But rather than filling his pickup truck's tank, he lit matches to ignite gasoline near the gas pump, police said.
The salesclerk told police she recognized Buckley as a frequent customer. A customer told her there was a fire at one of the pumps, so she shut down the pumps, police said in an affidavit.
Attendants put out the fire using fire extinguishers before firefighters arrived.
Buckley sped off in his truck to the Kaneohe Post Office and allegedly set a rubbish can inside the building on fire about 10 minutes later. A bystander pulled the can outside, and the fire eventually petered out.
The other charge stems from an incident in which Buckley allegedly tried to set a fire at the same Shell station.