Authorities yesterday charged a 21-year-old Mililani man with possessing a .30-caliber assault rifle that was reported stolen in an April 22 burglary. Bryson Kekai Esperago was arraigned today at District Court on the firearm offense. His bail is $30,000.

Esperago was arrested Monday on suspicion of firing a shot from a parked car in the direction of Venus Night Club after being told to leave the club.

He also is suspected of crashing his car into two parked cars. He was released pending further investigation for reckless endangering, fleeing the scene of an accident and detaining stolen property.

2 house fires deliberately set

House fires yesterday in Kahalu'u and last week in Ma'ili were intentionally set, according to fire investigators.

An 8:40 a.m. fire yesterday at 47-435 Waihe'e Road in Kahalu'u started in the bedroom of an 81-year-old woman, said Fire Department spokesman Capt. Kenison Tejada. The woman was rescued from the room by her adult grandson and taken to Castle Medical Center for psychological evaluation.

Damage was estimated at $175,000 to the building and $35,000 to contents. A neighbor's home sustained $30,000 damage from the fire.

Investigators also found that Thursday's fire at 87-237 Ho'okele St. in Ma'ili was also deliberately set. The 1:44 a.m. fire started near the garage entrance to a lanai and caused $180,000 damage to the structure and $40,000 damage to contents, including a family car.

Convicted sex offender sought

Police are asking for help finding fugitive Carl William Lindsey, a convicted child sex offender who has been declared an escapee by the Cowlitz County, Wash., Department of Corrections. Lindsey was arrested for extradition in Hilo in 2002 and is believed to be back in Hawai'i because of a letter received on the Mainland yesterday with a Honolulu postmark.

Lindsey, 26, also is known as Eli Lindsey and Karl Van Buren. He is a known methamphetamine user, police said. He has tattoos of a small tear-drop under his left eye, insects and animals on his chest, and flowers on his right forearm.