MEDIA RELEASE

James Coleman

Hawaiʻi Island police have charged a Kona man with seven offenses in connection with a property damage incident at one of the astronomy facilities near the summit of Mauna Kea on Tuesday morning (March 29).

At 10:55 a.m. Thursday (March 31), 30-year-old James Coleman of Kailua-Kona was charged with second-degree burglary, first-degree criminal property damage, attempted first-degree criminal property damage, two counts of second-degree criminal property damage and two counts of second-degree terroristic threatening. His bail was set at $84,000. He remains at the Hilo police cellblock pending his initial court appearance scheduled for Friday (April 1).

On Tuesday, Officers responded to a 9:30 a.m. report of a traffic accident involving a disorderly man near the summit of Mauna Kea. Further reports indicated that the man then attempted to forcibly enter one of the facilities on the Mauna Kea Access Road.

Investigation revealed that Coleman forcibly gained entry to the facility while employees were barricaded inside and then attempted to ram the vehicle of a ranger from the Office of Mauna Kea Management who was attempting to intervene.