KILAUEA — A Lihue man was arrested early Wednesday after police said he crashed his car into the roundabout at the entrance of Kauai Mini Golf, causing the vehicle to ignite in flames. Henry Garvey, III, 53, of Lihue was
KILAUEA — A Lihue man was arrested early Wednesday after police said he crashed his car into the roundabout at the entrance of Kauai Mini Golf, causing the vehicle to ignite in flames.
Henry Garvey, III, 53, of Lihue was subdued with a Taser after he became violent and started swinging at officers as they tried to handcuff him, police said Wednesday.
He was transported to Wilcox Memorial Hospital and released with minor injuries. He is being held in police custody on $7,000 bail on charges of operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant, second-degree terroristic threatening, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
Police said the car was fully engulfed in flames when police and firefighters arrived on the scene shortly after midnight. As firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze, police located two men walking in the area who identified themselves as the driver and passenger of the vehicle that crashed. The passenger, a 31-year-old male from Lihue, was not charged in connection to the incident. No other vehicles were involved.
When a resident arrived on the scene, police said Garvey became agitated and started shouting and threatening him. Police then attempted to detain Garvey, but Garvey resisted arrest and failed to comply with the officers’ warnings. Police eventually used a Taser to detain Garvey. Medics then transported him to Wilcox Memorial Hospital for evaluation.
No one else was injured in the incident.
Garvey has an arrest history on Kauai. In 2012, he was arrested on arson charges in connection with an Easter eve fire in Kilauea’s historic Christ Memorial Church.
Garvey pleaded no contest to second-degree arson, a class B felony that carries a maximum 10-year prison sentence and up to a $25,000 fine. As part of a plea deal, he was sentenced to five years probation. The state dropped charges of second-degree criminal property damage, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
The church fire resulted in more than $1,500 worth of damage to a pew, rear wall and stained glass window, according to court documents. In addition to the fire, the reverend said at the time that a brass crucifix was dismantled and damaged, as was the welcome sign outside. Flowers in place for Easter Sunday were strewn about the church, an oil-filled candelabra in the front alcove was tossed about and broken and tombstones were knocked over and broken.
State Deputy Public Defender Stephanie Sato said at Garvey’s 2013 sentencing that he is an accomplished man who could not accept a diagnosis for a mental disease that came later in life.
Last December, Garvey was arrested on charges of abuse of a family or household member.
