By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer
Officer’s vehicle totaled in crash
A 40-year-old Honolulu Police Department officer escaped serious injury Saturday morning after he was run off the H-1 Freeway and crashed a police-issued $25,000 Camaro in East Honolulu.
The accident happened about 4 a.m. in the H-1 west-bound lanes near 2nd Avenue, police said.
According to police, a small car was traveling at a high rate of speed when it swerved in front of the black Camaro. The on-duty officer driving the Camaro veered right to avoid hitting the speeding car and hit a guardrail, police said.
The officer complained of pain but was not transported to a hospital. The three-year veteran was wearing a seat belt and the car’s air bag deployed.
The Camaro suffered major damage and was declared a total loss, police said.
A witness told police that he also was passed by the speeding car, but could not provide a solid description of the vehicle.
The case will be handled by the department’s traffic division.
Candle started fire that burned girl
An unattended candle started a fire that injured a 12-year-old girl and caused an estimated $55,000 in damage to a Makakilo Heights home on Sunday, officials said.
The girl suffered burns on her face, arms and legs when she tried to extinguish the fire in the loft that occurred shortly before 1:49 p.m. at 92-7095 ‘Ele‘ele St.
The girl’s mother and a sister, 10, escaped unharmed, as did three small dogs and a cat. The girl was taken to Kapi‘olani Medical Center for observation and treated for second-degree burns. She was released from the hospital yesterday.
Beware of stock, investment scheme
Authorities and the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs want to warn the public about a day trading and securities fraud scam operating on O‘ahu that has swindled more than $50,000 from several victims in Hawai‘i during the past four months.
Police said the scam goes like this:
The suspect meets potential victims at various social settings such as restaurants and nightclubs and presents himself as a millionaire who day trades for a living. The suspect, who is a smooth talker and is knowledgeable about stocks, often includes information about offshore investments and how this is a way to avoid taxes.
The suspect claims to be able to make large returns on investments, but is unable to provide any documentation of any sales or purchases and is very evasive when asked for brochures or information regarding any portfolio or receipt of what companies or stocks were purchased.
Officials said people can check to see if an investor is registered to sell securities in Hawai‘i by calling the commissioner of securities at the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, 586-2740.
Anyone with information on this case is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300.
Parole violator caught near airport
A 42-year-old parole violator sought in connection with a variety of criminal cases was arrested by police last week near the Honolulu International Airport.
Plainclothes police officers from the Kalihi and Kane‘ohe districts teamed up to arrest Darrell Baclaan on Friday in the hotel airport area, police said.
Police arrested Baclaan on suspicion of car theft and a parole revocation warrant on a prior felony conviction. He also was wanted for questioning in a recent series of car break-ins in the Kalihi area and an assault on a police officer that occurred at the Pali Lookout on Jan. 2, police said.
Identity-theft suspect charged
Police have charged a 34-year-old woman in connection with an identity-theft case that featured computer-generated fraudulent checks and identification.
Police said CrimeStoppers information led to the arrest of Celena Chun. Chun was arrested by the Kalihi Crime Reduction Unit on Jan. 18 at a Salt Lake residence, police said.
Chun, who was on probation for a drug offense conviction, was charged on Jan. 20 with second-degree theft and three counts of second-degree forgery. Bail was set at $50,000.
Police accuse Chun of making a computer-generated Hawai‘i driver license and computer-generated checks that reflected the victim’s personal information.
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