Hilo man faces enhanced felony charges after alleged break-ins during Hurricane Lala
HILO (HawaiiNewsNow) – A Hilo man faces enhanced penalties after prosecutors say he entered a home and assaulted the residents during the Hurricane Lala emergency period.
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Andrew Luna, 58, appeared in court on assault and burglary charges Wednesday.
He’s accused of entering the home on Pakele Street two times, most recently as August 17th, right after Hurricane Lala caused widespread destruction.
Prosecutors say Luna grabbed a 10-year-old girl by the hair and dragged her down the stairs and fought off another resident before he was chased off the property.
He’s accused of entering the ohana unit of the same home without permission on Aug. 13 as well.
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Luna is charged with burglary of a dwelling during an emergency period, burglary in the first degree, assault in the third degree, three counts of unauthorized entry in a dwelling in the second degree, and two counts of simple trespass.
The first charge is a class A felony offense and carries a penalty of a twenty-year prison term.
“As a reminder, enhanced criminal penalties apply to certain crimes committed during a state of emergency declared by the Mayor or Governor, including burglary, theft, criminal property damage, robbery, and assault against an emergency worker,” Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen said in a press release. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected by Hurricane Lala. We are committed to working together with our partners at the County of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Police Department, and Civil Defense to keep our residents and community safe.”
Luna’s bail was maintained at $213,000.
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