Sept. 14--A 28-year-old man has admitted to starting a fire on Tuesday night in an apartment on the 18th floor of a high-rise condominium building on University Avenue near the Ala Wai Canal, according to a police affidavit.
Dustin W. Saluda was charged Thursday with first-degree arson in connection with a fire at the Ala Wai Plaza condominium complex. His bail was set at $200,000. First-degree arson is a felony that carries a maximum prison term of life and a $50,000 fine.
According to the affidavit, a police officer accompanying firefighters to the blaze in the complex's Park Tower was told by residents that Saluda had started the fire. When the police officer approached Saluda, he said:
"I started the fire, officer. I started the fire."
Police said that as Saluda was escorted down the stairs, he said he started the fire because his roommate, the Honolulu Police Department and the Marines had hypnotized him.
The fire prompted hundreds of residents to evacuate Ala Wai Plaza, a 349-unit, 25-story building at 500 University Ave., next to the Marco Polo apartment complex on the Ala Wai Canal. No injuries were reported.
Firefighters responded to the blaze at about 9 p.m., and the fire was contained within about 20 minutes.
But the blaze had spread throughout a three-bedroom, two-story, 1,540-square-foot apartment.
Saluda, one of three people residing in the apartment, was arrested on suspicion of arson.
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