Police Beat
Advertiser Staff
Hole in fence worries post office
After discovering a hole cut in the fence near a temporary storage area of the airport post office, postal authorities are investigating whether any mail was stolen.
The breach was detected last week when employees were taking down a tent sheltering mail near the facility's Aolele Street fence, said postal inspector Kathryn Derwey. Removal of the tent revealed a hole in the fence that was not visible from the street side because of a hibiscus hedge, she said, so it's unclear how long it was there.
"It could have been someone cutting it for a shortcut to the bus stop," Derwey said. "We didn't find any rifled mail indicating that anything had been stolen."
The mail stored there had been parcels bound for Guam.
Examiners look into death at sea
City medical examiners were called on Monday to investigate an accident at sea last week Wednesday that killed a merchant seaman from the Philippines.
The 39-year-old seaman was on duty about 2:20 p.m. aboard the Island Oasis, a Japanese-owned merchant vessel 1,400 miles north-northwest of Hawai'i, said Mark Desmarais, an attorney representing the ship's insurance carrier.
The ship was en route to Honolulu to pick up scrap metal, he said.
The victim and other crewmen were preparing the cargo holds when the accident occurred, according to Desmarais. While trying to stabilize a hook used to move cargo from one hold to another, Desmarais said, the victim went too close to the guardrail, lost his footing or collapsed, and struck the rail before he fell into the water.
Crewmates recovered him from the water and attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation but were unable to get a pulse.
The vessel, built in 1999, is registered in Panama but has a crew of Philippine nationals, Desmarais said. The identity of the victim, who was married with children, was withheld.
Kapahulu shooting suspect arrested
A Kapahulu man was arrested on Monday in connection with a November shooting that cost a 26-year-old woman her left eye.
Police arrested the suspect, 32, at 10:20 a.m. at his Brokaw Street home, where the shooting occurred. He was released pending further investigation.
The woman, accompanied by her brother and others, had gone to the home Nov. 10 to collect on a loan, and an argument broke out. When the suspect came from the back of the house with a shotgun, police said, the visitors fled to their car. The suspect then shot into the car; the woman was struck in an eye.
The suspect is being investigated on attempted-murder and firearms charges.
H-1 crash victim was from Oregon
The victim of a New Year's Eve fatal accident on H-1 has been identified as Carol F. Smith, 60, of Redmond, Ore.
Smith, critically injured in the 10:10 p.m. accident near the eastbound Punahou off-ramp, died Friday night at The Queen's Medical Center. She was riding in a van that attempted to change lanes, swerved, and collided with a 1989 Toyota van and overturned.
Five-day test drive ends with bust
Police arrested a Kina'u Street man, 27, after he allegedly took a van on a test drive that lasted for five days.
Investigators said the suspect took the vehicle, a Chevy Astro van, from a car lot at about noon Wednesday. The van was spotted at about 2:50 p.m. Monday in a lot opposite 1340 Young St. Police arrested the suspect after he was seen driving away in the van.
Detectives request help in arson case
Arson detectives are seeking help in finding the person who burglarized a Pearl City home and set it on fire New Year's Day.
The owner of the home on Pu'u Alani Way locked it early that morning. Firefighters responded to an alarm about 11:20 a.m. after explosions were heard. The blaze destroyed the home; damage was estimated at $230,000.
Witnesses said they saw a brown or blue-gray, four-door station wagon, possibly a Nissan or Toyota, parked in the carport before the first explosion.
Its male driver was described as in his 40s, with a medium build and brown complexion. He was wearing a brown baseball cap, tank top, jeans shorts and slippers.
Anyone with information may call Detective James Anderson at 529-3436. Anonymous tips can be given to CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 (*CRIME on a cell phone).
Puna shooting victim recovering
HILO, Hawai'i — A 45-year-old Puna man was in satisfactory condition yesterday after suffering two gunshot wounds Monday night on the Pahoa-Kalapana Road.
Police said the man, who was not identified, was shot in the arm and chest. He was taken to Hilo Medical Center.
The victim, a resident of Black Sands subdivision, was unable to give a clear statement to responding officers, police said.
Kaua'i keeps beach closed after spill
LIHU'E, Kaua'i — The county expects to keep Kalapaki Beach closed to swimmers at least through tomorrow because bacteria levels remain high, apparently as the result of a spill of treated sewage Sunday.
The state Department of Health and the county Wastewater Division are testing water in the bay and upstream from the spill to determine whether the sewage or other sources may be involved.
Wastewater Division officials said 250,000 gallons of effluent from the Lihu'e sewer plant spilled.
The effluent had received secondary treatment and was chlorinated.
