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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Saturday, August 24, 2002

Police Beat

Maui motorist dies after hitting tree

KAHULUI, Maui — A 37-year-old Makawao man was killed yesterday when he drove his car into a monkeypod tree on the shoulder of the Haleakala Highway.

George W. Poole died at the scene following the 12:28 p.m. crash, according to police.

Maui Police Officer Lawrence Becraft said investigators don't know why the man drove his 1991 Ford Escort off the road as he approached Hana Highway. Alcohol, speed and drug use are still under investigation, he said.

Poole was wearing only his shoulder harness and not his lap belt, Becraft said.

This is Maui County's 11th traffic fatality this year compared with 14 at the same time last year. It was also the third fatality in August.

12,418 marijuana plants uprooted

HILO, Hawai'i — Big Island police uprooted 12,418 marijuana plants during a five-day eradication effort that ended yesterday.

The marijuana, ranging from seedlings to plants 10 feet tall, was found growing in 675 separate plots in the Puna, Hilo, North Hilo and Hamakua areas, said Lt. Henry Tavares.

Man, 68, arrested in sexual assault

A 68-year-old man was charged Thursday in a case of sexual assault of a Pearl Ridge girl, now age 10, during a three-year period.

Joseph M. Domingo of Pearl City was charged with one count of first-degree sexual assault and seven counts of third-degree sexual assault, and was held in lieu of bail totaling $100,000. The assaults allegedly occurred between 1998 and last year.

Hilo man charged with felonies

Hilo detectives charged an 18-year-old Hilo man yesterday with a variety of felony crimes stemming from a carjacking involving officers in South Kohala, Kona and South Hilo.

Charges filed against Joey K. Caseres, of Popolo Street, include two counts of kidnapping, three counts of car theft and five counts of criminal property damage. He also faces charges in connection with an auto break-in and an attempted auto theft, and was being held in lieu of $17,100 bail.

His alleged accomplice, a juvenile, was released to the custody of the Hawai'i Youth Correctional Facility.

The two were caught Wednesday shortly after 8 a.m., after they had allegedly carjacked a red Kia compact car, driven by two German tourists, at the Mauna Kea State Park.

The suspects allegedly forced the tourists, a man and a woman, to drive toward Hilo on the Saddle Road.

While they were on the Saddle Road, a police helicopter diverted from a marijuana eradication mission spotted the car heading toward Hilo and radioed ahead. The car was stopped as it entered the Hilo area in the vicinity of Kaumana City.

Police had been tracking the pair since 11 a.m. Saturday, when they allegedly stole a blue 1991 Honda sedan parked at the Hale Nani Correctional Center in Hilo. On Wednesday, they allegedly drove the stolen car to South Kohala, where they allegedly crashed through several gates at the Mauna Lani Resort in an attempt to steal another vehicle there.

Sexual assault suspect in custody

Police arrested a 43-year-old Kalihi man who is accused of sexually assaulting two teenage girls.

The mother of the girls told detectives she alerted police Aug. 1, as soon as her daughters, 16 and 13, told her they had been assaulted on numerous occasions.

Man surrenders after standoff

A man firing a rifle from his balcony in Sunset Beach drew police into a two-hour standoff that ended peacefully when he surrendered early yesterday.

Bruce Barros, 42, was charged with second-degree reckless endangering.

Police and fire rescue crews were called about 12:30 a.m. to 59-268 Kamehameha Highway, where neighbors reported hearing gunshots.

Police said Barros had been arguing with family members and had been drinking when he began firing toward the wooded area behind his house.

He at first refused to surrender, police said, but family members helped persuade Barros to turn over the rifle.

Masked man robbed Times

A masked man armed with a handgun held up the Times Supermarket in Kunia Thursday night, according to witnesses.

Police said the man walked into the store at 94-615 Kupuohi St. at 10:55 p.m. After the robbery, he ran away with an undisclosed amount of merchandise.

Police search for bank robber

Police are seeking a man in his 40s who held up the American Savings Bank Liliha branch just before it closed Thursday night.

The suspect allegedly walked into the branch at 5:50 p.m. and handed a 22-year-old female teller a note indicating the bank was being robbed.

Witnesses said he fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash.

Assault suspect discovered dead

LIHU'E, Kaua'i — A man police were seeking in a Thursday assault was found dead in a Hanama'ulu residence yesterday, an apparent suicide.

The 20-year-old man, an employee of a courier company, was being sought in connection with an attack on a woman in the Dynasty Court office complex outside Lihu'e Thursday morning. The man reportedly was making a delivery to an office in the complex.

The assailant hit a woman on the head and attempted to drag her into an office.

He ran when her co-workers heard the sounds of the attack and came to help.

Police said they knew the identity of the attacker, and were looking for him when members of his family found him dead in the Hanama'ulu home. An autopsy is scheduled.