Neighbor Island briefs
Advertiser Staff and News Services
BIG ISLAND
Hearing delayed in Pepe'ekeo shooting
HILO, Hawai'i — Judge Barbara Takase yesterday granted a request to delay the preliminary hearing for a Puna man accused of firing shots at a youth in Pepe'ekeo April 22.
Melchor Ventura, 50, is accused of attempted murder and two gun violations, including being a felon in possession of a firearm. He is accused of firing twice at a 19-year-old man near Yoshizawa Store, eight miles north of Hilo. No motive for the shooting has been revealed.
Ventura is being held in lieu of $65,000 bail. Takase set his preliminary hearing for May 23.
Hilo police seek victim of car theft
HILO, Hawai'i — Hilo police are looking for the victim of a car break-in Sunday at the Prince Kuhio Shopping Plaza.
Police said they want to return a stolen jacket to the victim, described as an elderly man who owns a white Pontiac sedan. The jacket was found in the car of a suspect in the case.
Police said they watched as two men and a woman broke into three cars at the shopping complex around 11 a.m. Sunday. The three suspects were arrested and held for questioning yesterday.
The victim should contact Detective Benton Bolos at (808) 961-2385 or Hilo patrol officers at (808) 961-2311.
KAUA'I
Lawa'i thief fails to open cash box
LIHU'E, Kaua'i — Police are looking for a man who stole a cash register from a Lawa'i convenience store, but didn't get any of the money.
He apparently couldn't get the drawer of the electronic register open and abandoned it with the cash still locked inside. The machine was found on the lawn of a nearby home.
Police said a man wearing a gray T-shirt over his head entered the Menehune Food Mart about 8:45 p.m. Friday, grabbed the register from the counter and ran off with it.
The suspect, about 5 feet 4 or 5 feet 5, was wearing faded black jeans and a long-sleeved dark shirt with a design on the back.
Repairs limit use of Kapa'a trash site
LIHU'E, Kaua'i — The county is asking residents to avoid taking large loads of trash to the Kapa'a Refuse Transfer Station this week, because of equipment repairs.
Anyone with loads larger than one or two trash barrels should take them to the Lihu'e station or the Kekaha landfill.
