Anthony Detro, 22, was charged with first-degree robbery for the crime, reported to police at 10:36 a.m. at First Hawaiian Bank's Kahului branch.

Detro approached a teller and indicated he had a gun, although none was seen, said police Lt. Mike Kaho'ohanohano. The robber demanded money, and the teller gave him an undisclosed amount of cash.

As Detro fled the bank, several customers chased him and were able to describe the white escape car to police. Maui police caught him on Ka'ahumanu Avenue, where a traffic jam blocked the robber's escape route.

The suspect was in custody this morning, in lieu of $50,000 bail.

Maui traffic victim identified

The victim in a Saturday traffic fatality on Maui has been identified as Douglas "Billy" Rothaus, 55, of Ha'iku.

Rothaus was driving southeast on Ha'iku when the 1978 Dodge pickup truck he was driving collided with a 1987 Ford van in the oncoming lane. Neither the driver of the van, a woman from Huelo, nor her passenger was injured. Both wore seatbelts.

Rothaus, who was not wearing a seatbelt, received multiple skull fractures and other injuries. He was taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center, where he died at about 9:15 p.m. last night.

This is Maui county's 24th traffic fatality of 2001, compared with 23 fatalities that occurred by this time last year.

Homes spared in Makaha brush fires

Three separate brush fires that broke out in Makaha last night did not come close to homes but took three hours to extinguish.

The 11:23 p.m. alarm ultimately brought six engines, two tankers and a combined ladder and tanker to fight the fires off Kili Drive and Ala Mahiku Street, adjacent to the Makaha Plantations subdivision.

The fire was under control at 12:26 a.m. and out at 2:29 a.m., fire fighters said.

Business set afire in Kalihi break-in

Honolulu police have opened a first-degree burglary and first-degree criminal property damage case in a Kalihi break-in that ended with the burglar setting fire to the business on Saturday.

Witnesses near Mike's Electric at 1555 Laumaile St. saw smoke and alerted fire officials, whose investigation indicated the fire was maliciously set.