A man who is a suspect in the summer wildfires, a witness to a courthouse arson and wanted for escape in West Hawaii appeared in two different courts Wednesday.
A man who is a suspect in the summer wildfires, a witness to a courthouse arson and wanted for escape in West Hawaii appeared in two different courts Wednesday.
But not in regard to the string of brush fires.
Daniel “Duke” Abraham, 35, of Kailua-Kona was identified in court testimony as a suspect for some of the blazes that broke out throughout West Hawaii earlier this year, but police said the investigation is ongoing and he was taken into custody Saturday in Kealakekua on a a second-degree escape charge.
Abraham was an extended furlough inmate and allegedly failed to return to the Hale Nani Reintegration Center on Feb. 19. He is serving time on charges of first-degree assault, kidnapping and a firearms offense. He was scheduled for a parole hearing in June.
Extended furlough inmates live and work outside the facility but must check in at various times throughout the month.
Abraham appeared Wednesday in District Court Judge Margaret Masunaga’s courtroom and waived his preliminary hearing. He will appear in Circuit Judge Melvin Fujino’s court at 11:30 a.m. Aug. 2 for arraignment and to enter a plea.
The second case Abraham appeared for was not his. It’s the case of Kainoa Lindo, who allegedly splashed accelerant on the Big Island Drug Court building in Kealakekua and ignited it March 3. In testimony during previous hearings, Abraham was listed as being present before the fire began. He is not charged in connection with the case.
Lindo’s defense attorney, Robert Kim, filed a warrant calling Abraham a material witness in the case. The warrant allows someone to be detained in lieu of bond if there is concern about them not showing up for trial.
Second Circuit Court Judge Rhonda Loo flew in from Maui for the second hearing at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday. She was assigned to the case by state Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald.
During the hearing, Loo asked if the Big Island judges recused themselves from the case. Deputy prosecuting attorney Sheri Lawson said the recusals were never filed, if they were made. Robert Kim, Lindo’s court-appointed defense attorney, agreed and said he reviewed the file and no such recusals were filed.
He added that might be in part because several of the judges were on the witness list.
Loo said she’d determine what happened.
“Someone skipped a step along the line and I will make sure that’s taken care of,” she said.
She then said, since Abraham was in custody as a result of the escape charge, the material witness order was not needed.
Email Graham Milldrum at gmilldrum@westhawaiitoday.com.