A 57-year-old Pearl City man was charged yesterday in connection with a 2000 Big Island case involving the robbery and sexual assault of a Hilo woman.

John Pali Paio Jr. was charged with two counts of first-degree sexual assault against an Olona Street woman in November 2000.

His charges also include one count each of first-degree robbery, burglary and terroristic threatening; kidnapping; use of a firearm in commission of a crime; illegal possession of a firearm; and impersonating a police officer.

The crime was reported at 7:54 a.m. Nov. 11 when the victim told police that she let a man enter the house after he claimed to be a police officer. The man then allegedly threatened her with a firearm, demanded money, sexually assaulted her and fled the residence with an undisclosed amount of cash.

Investigators from the Hawai'i County Prosecutor's Office flew to O'ahu yesterday to pick up Paio, who was being held by Honolulu police.

Paio was brought back to Hilo, where he is being held in the police cellblock in lieu of $90,000 bail.

Fire destroys Puna warehouse

A fire allegedly set by vandals destroyed the Nanawale Community Association's warehouse in Puna today.

Big Island police and fire units responding to a 6 a.m. alarm found the warehouse building engulfed in flames.

Police said there was evidence the fire had been deliberately set.

The community association has offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of those who set the fire.

Anyone with information can call Officer Christopher Ragasa of the Puna Patrol at (808) 966-5835.

Teenagers survive highway rollover

Four teenagers escaped with minor injuries after an accident last night in which their car ran onto the shoulder of Kalaniana'ole Highway and flipped over.

The teens ­ two boys and two girls, ages 15-16 ­ were riding in an older-model Nissan in the Waimanalo-bound lane of the highway about 10 p.m., said Capt. Robert Thomas of the Hawai'i Kai fire station.

Thomas said the driver veered into the left lane to pass another vehicle, overshot the pavement and lost control of the car near the Koko Head shooting range.

Tourist drowns at Hanauma Bay

A Japanese tourist drowned at Hanauma Bay yesterday after apparently suffering a stroke while swimming, police said.

The city medical examiner has identified the woman as Masayo Okayama, 62, of Japan.

Ambulance crews were called at 10:54 a.m. and took her to Straub Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 11:53 a.m.

Woman robbed in her apartment

A Pearl City woman was robbed in her home yesterday when she opened the door to a woman who claimed to be picking up an envelope.

The victim, 25, said she answered the door of her Acacia Road apartment about 5 p.m. and saw a woman in her 20s who asked to pick up an envelope. When the victim said she knew nothing about it, the suspect asked to use the phone.