A Kane'ohe man accused of deliberately setting three fires will be the first person tried under Hawai'i's new arson law.

District Judge Gerald H. Kibe ruled yesterday there was sufficient probable cause for arrest and bound Christopher A. Buckley, 42, to Circuit Court for arraignment and plea on Sept. 18 at 8:30 a.m. Buckley is being held at the O'ahu Community Correctional Center in lieu of $35,000.

Buckley is charged with three counts of second-degree arson for allegedly starting fires on July 22 and Aug. 30 at a Shell station at 45-1039 Kamehameha Highway, and at the Kane'ohe post office on Aug. 30.

According to the law passed in June, second-degree arson involves "intentionally or knowingly setting a fire that recklessly places another person in danger of death or bodily injury." If convicted, Buckley faces up to 10 years in prison and a $15,000 fine on each count.

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney DeAnn Afualo yesterday presented several witnesses including — police Detective Gary Lahens, Shell station co-owner Louisa Sawinski and clerk Gina Aloiau and U.S. postal inspector Tom Terry — at Buckley's preliminary hearing.

Lahens testified that Buckley in a taped interview admitted to starting the three fires. Sawinski and Terry said in court that the Shell station and post office have turned over surveillance tapes from Aug. 30 to prosecutors but did not say whether Buckley is on any of them.

Aloiau said several people were in the Shell convenience store when the July 22 fire started.

Sawinski also said a boat was being fueled near the gas pump which was set on fire Aug. 30.

Buckley appeared uninterested, did not stand for court introductions and kept his head down on the table during much of yesterday's proceedings. He was represented by Deputy Public Defender Lee Hayakawa.

Reach Rod Ohira at rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.