A 58-year-old Hilo man is facing a Class A felony and the possibility of two decades behind bars after police say he broke into a neighbor's home twice in the span of days, with the second incident occurring during the declared emergency period for Hurricane Lala. Andrew Luna allegedly grabbed a 10-year-old girl by the hair and dragged her down a flight of stairs during the August 17 break-in on Pākele Lane, according to police.
Police say Luna first entered the same home's ʻohana unit without permission on August 13, then returned four days later and allegedly entered the main house itself without permission, as reported by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. During that second encounter, officers say Luna engaged in a physical struggle with another resident before he was chased off the property. He was apprehended a short time later, per police.
Because the August 17 incident fell within the window covered by the Hurricane Lala emergency declaration, prosecutors are pursuing burglary of a dwelling during an emergency period, a Class A felony under Hawaii Revised Statutes § 708-817 that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, according to Justia Law. That is double the punishment tied to standard first-degree burglary, which is a Class B felony under Hawaii Revised Statutes § 708-810 with a maximum of 10 years in prison or four years probation with up to 18 months in jail, as noted by Big Island Now.
Eight Counts Filed Against Luna
Luna faces eight counts in total, including first-degree burglary, burglary of a dwelling during an emergency period, three counts of second-degree unauthorized entry into a dwelling, two counts of trespassing, and third-degree assault. The felony investigation was conducted by Officer Shane Emerson of the Hawaiʻi Police Department South Hilo Patrol, with Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Nathan Wersal assigned to prosecute the case, per the same outlet's report.
Luna made his initial appearance in Hilo District Court on the afternoon of August 19, where his bail was maintained at $213,000. His preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Monday, August 24, in Hilo District Court, according to Big Island Video News.
Why Emergency Periods Trigger Tougher Penalties
Hawaii's emergency enhancement statutes were enacted under Act 116 in 2006, following public safety concerns raised by looting during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, with the aim of deterring opportunistic crime and protecting residents when emergency services are stretched thin, the outlet reports. The law was later updated in 2014 under Act 111 to align with modern state emergency management procedures.
Hawaiʻi County Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen has publicly stated that the emergency declaration enhancements apply broadly across disaster-period crimes, including burglary, theft, criminal property damage, robbery, and assault against emergency workers. Local authorities issued public warnings during Hurricane Lala regarding the steep penalties tied to storm-related crime, according to Big Island Video News.
The statutory scheme extends beyond residential burglary. Entering or remaining unlawfully in a non-dwelling building with criminal intent during a declared emergency period is elevated to a Class B felony under Hawaii Revised Statutes § 708-818, while committing or threatening force during a theft in a declared emergency area is elevated to first-degree robbery, a Class A felony, under Hawaii Revised Statutes § 708-840, per CaseMine.
Second Big Island Suspect Charged During Same Storm
Luna is not the only Big Island resident facing enhanced charges tied to Hurricane Lala. Prosecutors simultaneously filed emergency-enhanced charges against 34-year-old Jason Pagan of Puna for an attempted vehicle theft that occurred on August 15, also during the Hurricane Lala emergency period, according to Big Island Video News. Pagan faces up to 10 years in prison under first-degree attempted theft enhancements.
The Luna case follows a separate violent residential break-in Hawaii County police investigated in a 2025 Ka'ū shooting case in Hawaiian Ocean View Estates, underscoring ongoing public-safety concerns tied to residential home intrusions across Hawaii Island. Luna's preliminary hearing next Monday will determine whether the case proceeds toward trial on the full slate of charges.
