Police Beat
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Hilo man charged in kidnapping
Police have charged a 31-year-old Hilo man in connection with the abduction of his former girlfriend.
Gregory K. Isabel was charged Monday with violating a protective order, kidnapping, abuse of a family or household member, unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle and unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle. He is being held in the Hilo police cellblock in lieu of $24,000 bail.
Police say Isabel confronted his former girlfriend at a Hilo bar at about 1:15 a.m. May 3, violating a protective order prohibiting him from contacting her.
He left the bar after the confrontation and hid in the rear of his ex-girlfriend's car, police said.
The woman and a friend were driving home when the ex-boyfriend sat up, police said.
The victim stopped the car and tried to flee, but the man forced her into the car and drove off, leaving the other woman behind, police said. The victim's friend called police.
Police say the woman was driven to an isolated field in Pepe-'ekeo, where she was held until about 4 a.m., then released unharmed.
15 arrested for DUI on Big Isle
Big Island police announced the arrests of 15 motorists on suspicion of drunken driving, including three drivers under the age of 21, during the week April 30.
There have been 266 DUI arrests so far this year, a 37 percent decrease from the 421 during the same period last year, police said. There have been 819 major accidents this year, compared with 748 during the same period last year, an increase of 9 percent.
And there have been 11 traffic fatalities on the Big Island so far this year, compared with 10 during the same period last year.
DUI roadblocks and patrols will be continued on an islandwide basis.
Child blamed in 'Ewa Beach fire
A child playing with matches is being blamed with causing a fire that damaged an 'Ewa Beach home yesterday afternoon.
The fire at 91-095 Parish Drive was reported at 4:24 p.m. and was confined to the garage, said fire spokesman Capt. Richard Soo.
The blaze was brought under control at 4:40 and extinguished at 4:53, Soo said.
Although the fire did not spread to the main portion of the house, Soo said there was significant smoke damage to the home. He said the American Red Cross was called to assist the family.
Damage was estimated at $50,000 to the building and its contents. No one was injured in the blaze.
Man confesses to bank robbery
A 53-year-old man has been charged with the May 3 robbery of the American Savings Bank branch located within the Wailuku Sac 'n Save store on Maui.
According to a statement filed in federal court, Rodney Bachelder went to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Honolulu yesterday and reported that he had robbed a bank on Maui.
Bachelder later identified an image of the bank robber in photographs taken by a bank surveillance camera as himself, and later signed the photos and a statement confessing to the robbery, according to court documents.
Approximately $460 was taken during the robbery.
