A former Maui resident charged with bringing a gun through airport security has reached a plea agreement with the state, in which he was fined $2,500.

Rodger Sears, 23, pleaded guilty last week to possession of an automatic firearm and then was granted a deferral of the plea, said his attorney, Guy Matsunaga.

A similar charge lodged against his wife, Althea Sears, was dropped, Matsunaga said, because her husband had packed and was carrying the bag in which the gun was found at Honolulu International Airport on Jan. 19.

Matsunaga said the court was convinced by Sears' story that the gun had been borrowed three years ago from a relative, during the couple's trip to Arkansas. It had been placed in a bicycle pack to combat snakes they might encounter on a bike trip, Matsunaga said.

The couple then moved to Maui, and the forgotten gun remained in the bike pack. When Sears was packing possessions for their recent move to South Carolina, he hurled some last-minute items, including the bike pack, into the couple's carry-on luggage.

3 arrested in auto-theft case

Police have arrested three more suspects in connection with Monday's attempted murder case in which a driver fleeing a Hawai'i Kai auto-theft scene backed the car toward a police officer.

Arrested yesterday were a 20-year-old Pearl City man, an 18-year-old 'Aiea man and a 20-year-old Pearl City woman.

The incident started just before 4 a.m. when police were alerted that someone was stripping a 1987 silver Honda near 7125 Maka'a St. When the patrol officer arrived, one suspect fled and was later arrested.

But others were in the Honda and backed the car rapidly toward Officer Tony Shimizu, who jumped out of the way. Police pursued the car but lost it near the Vineyard H-1 off-ramp. It was found abandoned in Kalihi.

Woman killed on freeway ID'd

The city medical examiner's office has identified the woman killed early Saturday when she walked into a lane of traffic on the H-1 Freeway as Beverly Llacuna, 65.

Llacuna, who had no known local address, was walking on H-1 near the airport viaduct at about 4:30 a.m., police said.

A 64-year-old Kapolei man was driving diamondhead in a black 1993 Nissan when he struck her. Llacuna died at the scene. Police said the driver was not intoxicated.

Woman held in stabbing

A 38-year-old Makiki woman was charged yesterday with attempted murder on suspicion of stabbing a taxi driver in the back on Sunday.

Police said the woman, Shelbie Akana, was taken to the parking structure at 1060 Young St. at about 1:30 p.m. Police said she stabbed the driver in the back and fled. Akana, who has a Kewalo Street address, is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail.

Knife throwing leads to arrest

Police last night arrested a 26-year-old woman on suspicion of second-degree assault after she reportedly threw a knife at her husband at their Wai'anae home.

The assault occurred at about 9:10 p.m. at Kiana Place, police said, following an argument in which the suspect hurled the knife at her 32-year-old husband. The point of the knife struck the man in the leg. He had a small cut.

Man charged in surfboard theft

A surfboard craftsman is pressing theft charges against a customer who in December collected a custom-made board and then fled without paying.

Police arrested a man in connection with the case, which occurred at about 10 p.m. on Dec. 10 at the victim's Isenberg Street home.

The suspect arrived to collect the board and told the victim to load it in his car. The man fled without paying for the board and pawned it minutes later, police said.

South Kona thefts reported

The days when South Kona residents can leave homes and cars unlocked are over, police said.

The Kona patrol division yesterday issued an advisory to residents that a rash of thefts from parked cars and homes in Keopuka, South Kona, signals the need to keep things locked.