Maui woman sentenced to 10 years in prison for involvement in suspicious fire in central Maui: Maui Now

Krystale Kaneakua of Pukalani was sentenced to 10 years in prison Tuesday by Judge Peter Cahill of the 2nd District Court for second-degree arson in connection with a 5-acre brush fire along the Maui Veterans Highway two years ago. The sentence was announced after a jury trial and a guilty verdict on June 3.

The fire was one in a series of suspicious incidents reported in Central Maui on May 12, 2022 and investigated by the Maui Police Department.

Assistant District Attorney Johann Smith recommended a 10-year sentence for Kaneakua. He said the whole thing would not have been possible if people had not shown up for jury duty, testified and cooperated. He said: “We’ll let the law do its work and hopefully get justice.”

Co-defendant John Hlis of Haʻikū pleaded guilty in June and was sentenced on June 4 to one year in prison and four years probation after agreeing to testify in the Kaneakua case.

According to police, the two were identified on surveillance camera footage entering a store before the bushfire broke out and purchasing a can of gasoline, lighter fluid, charcoal and Lysol.

During the trial, prosecutors reportedly said Kaneakua drove Hlis to the scene and the fire started when lighter fluid was lit in the tall grass. Firefighters and Mahi Pono staff tried to prevent the fire from spreading.

Kaneakua’s attorney, John Parker, pointed out that his client had no previous convictions and that he had asked for a lighter sentence.

In passing sentence, Judge Cahill reportedly also considered the recent destruction caused by wildfires on Maui and the damage that can occur during dry periods, and pointed out that the sentence must reflect the punishment for the crime committed.