Whitney Houston reportedly escaped arrest last week, after she allegedly

was caught with half an ounce of marijuana by security officers at a

Hawaii airport who did not have the authority to arrest her.

Security personnel at Keahole-Kona International Airport, in

Kailua-Kona, seized a bag from the pop star and tried to detain her,

but she walked away and boarded a flight to San Francisco, according to

accounts in the Associated Press and the Hilo, Hawaii,

Tribune-Herald.

Police showed up 45 minutes after the plane took off, the AP

reported.

Hawaii County Prosecutor Jay Kimura told the AP that pending the

results of a police investigation, he would decide whether to charge the

singer. Possession of 15 grams of marijuana is punishable by up to 30

days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Representatives for Houston could not be reached for comment Monday. An

airport security officer allegedly found the marijuana after asking

Houston to open her bag for inspection, the Tribune-Herald

reported.

Airport security officers work for a private company and are not allowed

to make arrests for crimes unrelated to airport security.

The airport's on-site security office would not comment Monday and

referred calls to the UC Kona police department. A police spokesperson

couldn't be reached for comment.

Houston is a top nominee — along with teen pop singer Britney

Spears and country singer Shania Twain — at the 27th Annual

American Music Awards, scheduled to be broadcast live from Los Angeles

on Monday, 8 p.m. EST. She is up for three awards, including Favorite

Female Artist in both the pop/rock and the soul/R&B categories. Her 1998

album, My Love Is Your Love (< p><>

HREF="http://media.addict.com/music/Houston,_Whitney/My_Love_Is_Your_Love.ram">RealAudio

excerpt of title track), is up for Favorite Album in the

soul/R&B category.

Houston also is nominated for four Grammy Awards, including Best R&B

Album, for My Love Is Your Love. The Grammys are to be held Feb.

23 in Los Angeles.