Advertiser Staff
Waipahu man charged with murder
An O‘ahu grand jury yesterday indicted a 64-year-old Waipahu man on a second-degree murder charge in a New Year’s Day shooting on Pupukahi Street that was sparked by an argument over a dog kennel.
Authorities say a $100,000 arrest warrant was issued for David Torres, who suffered a heart attack after he was picked up by police. Torres underwent surgery yesterday at Queen’s Medical Center.
Officials said Torres argued with Pio Ioane, 40, over a stolen dog kennel before shooting Ioane in the stomach with a .30-caliber rifle at about 3:40 a.m. Police said it was the state’s first homicide of the year.
Torres also faces a firearm possession charge based on four past felony convictions, officials said. Second-degree murder carries a mandatory life term with parole. A conviction for using a semiautomatic weapon in a murder mandates a minimum 20-year prison term.
Bicyclist, 7, falls to stream bank
Firefighters yesterday helped to rescue a 7-year-old bicyclist after he fell an estimated 10 to 15 feet off a sidewalk to a stream bank in Waipi‘o Acres.
The accident occurred shortly before 10:11 a.m. when the boy rode off the edge of the sidewalk and fell to the stream bank fronting 95-227 Waikalani Drive, firefighters said.
When firefighters arrived, the boy’s mother was also at the scene.
The boy had a laceration to his forehead, firefighters said. He was taken to the Queen’s Medical Center.
There is a low retaining wall near the accident scene, but it has no guardrail on it, firefighters said.
Fugitive caught after foot chase
Police yesterday chased down and arrested a 24-year-old fugitive who was believed to be armed and considered dangerous by authorities.
A uniformed patrol officer from the Wai‘anae District spotted Peter M. Kanohokula getting out of a car that was later determined to be stolen, police said.
Kanohokula fled on foot, with the officer in pursuit for two blocks before he was arrested, police said.
A warrant revoking Kanohokula’s parole status was issued Nov. 30, 2000, police said. Kanohokula has 10 prior convictions, including two for auto theft and two for second-degree robbery, according to the Hawai‘i Criminal Justice Data Center.
Man accused of striking officer
Police arrested a man in ‘Ewa after he allegedly roughed up officers and hit one of them on the head with a metal police baton Wednesday night.
The incident occurred prior to 11:45 p.m. in front of 91-1105 Nale St., police said.
According to police, the suspect’s father called from his Bond Street residence to report that his son was acting strangely. The son fled when officers arrived, but later returned.
Police said the suspect then partly disrobed, sprayed insecticide on himself and ran onto the street. The man then grabbed onto a basketball rim and dangled from it, police said. Officers chased him and caught him on Nale Street.
The man struggled when officers tried to arrest him, grabbed hold of a metal baton from an officer’s gun belt and striking one officer on the head with the baton, police said. The officer was treated at the hospital and released.
The man was arrested on suspicion of second-degree theft, second-degree assault, resisting arrest and harassment, police said.
Woman hit by car in Hawai‘i Kai
A 29-year-old woman was critically injured when she was struck by a car in Hawai‘i Kai last night, police said. Details were not available.
The accident on Hawai‘i Kai Drive was reported at 7:08 p.m. The woman was taken to the Queen’s Medical Center where she was listed in critical condition.
No-show Kahapea attorney fined $250
Donald Wilkerson, the attorney for former city housing official and convicted thief Michael Kahapea, was fined $250 by a judge yesterday for failing to appear at a Dec. 21 hearing to determine how much restitution Kahapea should pay.
Circuit Judge Reynaldo Graulty decided not to follow through with a criminal contempt charge, but told Wilkerson to pay the fine to a charity. Graulty said Wilkerson failed to appear for the hearing "at a time of great importance to Mr. Kahapea."
Kahapea, who stole nearly $6 million in city money designated for the redevelopment of ‘Ewa Villages, was sentenced to 50 years in prison. City deputy prosecutor Randal Lee said Wilkerson’s failure to appear was part of a pattern of no-shows in other courtrooms.
Wilkerson said he mistakenly believed the 8:30 a.m. Dec. 21 hearing was scheduled for 10 a.m. He noted that during Kahapea’s lengthy trial, he was late just once — by 15 minutes.
Marine remains going home
The remains of two Marines are being sent home today, the Marines Corps announced.
Cpls. Harris J. Johnson and Kenneth K. Kunkle were both killed during a World War II raid on Makin Island in the Gilbert Islands, but their burial site, which contained the remains of 17 other Marines, was lost until 1999. A team from the Army’s Central Identification Laboratory-Hawaii recovered the remains in December 1999 and positively identified them last month.
A brief ceremony, with an honor guard and including a bugler playing taps, will begin at 8 a.m. at Borthwick Mortuary.
Johnson was from Little Rock, Iowa, and his remains will be sent to Port Hueneme, Calif. Kunkle was from Mountain Home, Ark., and the remains will be sent to Springfield, Mo.
City to discuss clogged sewers
The city Department of Environmental Services will hold two meetings Tuesday to discuss a new program to stop grease from clogging sewer lines.
The meetings will be held from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the McCoy Pavilion main auditorium at Ala Moana Regional Park. The city is recommending that businesses involved with food preparation, property managers and owners, consultants, plumbers and Realtors attend one of the meetings.
Call Kenny Drummond at 523-4951, or register by e-mail to kdrummond@co.honolulu.hi.us
Firm withdraws permit request
KAHALU‘U — A construction company that is installing water pipe on Kahekili Highway has withdrawn its request to work at night because obtaining the necessary clearances has taken too long.
By the time a permit is issued, the work that could be performed at night will be near completion, said Martin Miller, vice president of RCI Construction Group Pacific, which is installing 14,000 feet of 42-inch water main for the Board of Water Supply.
Ken LeVasseur, transportation chairman of the Kahalu‘u Neighborhood Board, said RCI submitted a request for a noise variance, which is necessary to work at night, to the state Department of Health in September. Permission was granted in December.
Water board spokeswoman Denise De Costa said work has progressed faster than anticipated and now the night work is not necessary.
Hazard cleanup team responds
Police called on the hazardous materials team from the Honolulu Fire Department to assist them yesterday while investigating a burglary at the Wai‘anae KFC restaurant.
According to police, burglars broke into the restaurant sometime during the night and made off with a safe, but knocked over a carbon dioxide tank hooked up to the soda machine during their escape.
The Hazmat 2 truck arrived and simply shut off the tank’s valve.
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