Posted on: Friday, May 25, 2001

Officer in DUI case found dead at home

By Johnny Brannon
Advertiser Staff Writer

Honolulu police Sgt. Kelvin Dow, a 20-year veteran of the police force, was found dead in his Waipi'o Gentry home shortly after noon yesterday, police said.

Detectives found no obvious cause of death or signs of a struggle, and an autopsy is pending, said Lt. Bill Kato.

Fellow officers went to Dow's home on Mele Place because he failed to show up for work Wednesday. They found his body on the floor of the master bedroom after a neighbor let them in, Kato said.

He said Dow, 40, was last seen alive by his roommate between 8 and 9 p.m. Tuesday. The men worked different schedules, and the roommate assumed Dow was sleeping when he saw his door closed after returning home Wednesday, Kato said.

Dow was arrested while off duty May 17 on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol after his Ford Thunderbird rammed the rear of another car stopped at a traffic light on Kamehameha Highway and Waipi'o Uka Street.

His next court appearance was scheduled for June 19.

Police Chief Lee Donohue joined investigators at Dow's home yesterday but declined to comment on the case.