Man Charged Following Puna Standoff

A 49-year-old Pahoa man is facing charges that stem from a Friday incident in the Hawaiian Beaches area of Puna, where officers attempted to serve a protective order.

According to the Hawai’i Police Department, the man, identified as Keith Kaapana Cummings, caused a brief standoff when he barricaded himself in a house.

Cummings allegedly poured a flammable liquid in the house and threatened to ignite it.

Nearby homes were evacuated and HPD’s Special Response Team responded.

Authorities say Cummings was in the home alone.

SRT negotiated with Cummings, who surrendered without incident. He was arrested on suspicion of first-degree terroristic threatening and first-degree reckless endangering and was taken to the Hilo police cellblock while detectives from the Area I Criminal Investigation Section continued to investigate.

The home Cummings was in was deemed safe following an inspection by a Hawai’i County Fire Department fire inspector.

On Saturday at 7 p.m., Cummings was charged with second-degree terroristic threatening and first-degree reckless endangering.

Cummings’ bail was set at $2,500 and he remained at the cellblock as he awaited his initial court appearance on Monday.