Police Beat

Advertiser Staff

Firefighters still battling brushfires

Firefighters continued to battle a rash of brushfires yesterday.

HFD Capt. Kenison Tejada said that by 9 p.m., units had responded to about a dozen fires. One was caused by fireworks, he said.

On the Fourth of July, firefighters battled 31 fires, 29 of which were fireworks related.

On Friday, they put out more than 20 fires.

Collision leaves biker hospitalized

A 55-year-old man from St. Louis Heights was hospitalized in critical condition yesterday after his motorcycle collided with a car on St. Louis Drive near Bertram Street.

The man was riding a black, 2000 Harley-Davidson southwest on St. Louis Drive at about 2:30 p.m. when he collided with a car that had been traveling northeast on St. Louis Drive and was making a left turn onto Bertram. The car, a white, 2001 Honda Civic, was driven by an 89-year old woman, also of St. Louis Heights. The woman was wearing a seat belt and both of her front air bags deployed, police said. The man was not wearing a helmet. Hospital officials said he remained in critical condition at about 9:30 last night.

Moped rider killed in crash identified

The 70-year-old O'ahu man who was killed after being struck by a car while riding his moped near an H-1 off-ramp Thursday has been identified as Francis Basilio of Kalihi.

The car struck the moped just after leaving the kokohead-bound lanes of H-1 Freeway at the King Street off-ramp early Thursday morning, police said. The moped operator was thrown onto the car's windshield and then onto the roadway.

Police said Basilio was not wearing a helmet. He died later at The Queen's Medical Center.

The 20-year-old driver of the car was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. Speed was also a factor, said police, who are conducting a negligent homicide investigation.

Man pleads guilty in beating death

A 19-year-old man has pleaded guilty to a reduced manslaughter charge for the fatal beating of a homeless man last August.

Pedro Velarde faces a 20-year prison term when he is sentenced by Circuit Judge Marie Milks on Sept. 3.

Velarde and Alvin Samau, also 19, were charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of Benjamin Amarino, 59, who drowned after suffering head injuries. A witness told police Velarde and Samau punched Amarino, beat him with bricks and rocks and threw him into Nu'uanu Stream.