Police Beat

Advertiser Staff

Portlock drowning victim identified

An 18-year-old man who apparently drowned Thursday off Portlock has been identified as Michael S. Okada of Hawai'i Kai.

Okada was swimming at China Walls, a surfing spot near Koko Kai Park, when he was swept out to sea early Wednesday afternoon. Firefighters and lifeguards searched the area and found Okada's body a few hundred yards away.

Three other people were with Okada. None was injured.

Injured crewman flown to Tripler

A man who suffered a serious head injury on a tugboat west of Hawai'i was flown to Tripler Army Medical Center last night.

The man was undergoing tests last night, but his condition was not available. He was injured Thursday on the tugboat Pequen, which was about 700 miles west of O'ahu.

The Pequen's crew called a rescue center in the Netherlands and requested medical help for the crew member, Navy spokeswoman Lt. Cmdr. Jane Campbell said. Dutch officials contacted the Joint Rescue Command Center in Honolulu, which notified the Navy because the USS Lake Erie and USS O'Kane were in the vicinity.

The man was transferred yesterday to the Lake Erie, but his injuries were so serious that additional medical support was needed, Campbell said.

Two Navy SH-60B Seahawk helicopters from Kane'ohe were launched with a neurosurgeon and anesthesiologist from Tripler.

Wai'anae brush fire under control

Firefighters needed about an hour last night to bring under control a brush fire near the Wai'anae Coast Comprehensive Health Center.

The fire was reported at 7:44 p.m. About 40 firefighters from 10 companies had the blaze under control at 8:57 p.m. The fire scorched an estimated 10 acres, fire Capt. Richard Soo said.

The fire got as close as 100 yards from the medical clinic, but winds were blowing the flames up the mountain, away from the facility, Soo said. No buildings were damaged and no injuries were reported.

Soo said the fire appeared to have started in an area frequented by squatters, and may have been intentionally set.

Man charged in Waipahu robbery

Police yesterday charged a 21-year-old man with the April 30 robbery of a Waipahu convenience store.

Charles Ramaila-Rodrigues is being held on the second-degree robbery charge in lieu of $50,000 bail. Prosecutors are still reviewing three other robbery cases in which Ramaila-Rodrigues is a suspect, said Lt. Raymond Quon, who heads the police robbery detail.

Ramaila-Rodrigues was charged with robbing the Bionic Chevron, 94-485 Farrington Highway.

3 in hospital after Nanakuli accident

Three people were hospitalized yesterday at The Queen's Medical Center after a head-on collision in Nanakuli.

The accident occurred at 1:43 a.m. on Farrington Highway, northwest of Helelua Street. A 1993 blue two-door Ford Thunderbird was in the Makaha-bound lanes when it allegedly crossed the center line and struck a 1995 white, four-door Honda Accord traveling in the opposite direction.

The Thunderbird driver, a 23-year-old man, and his passenger, a 32-year-old woman, were taken to Queen's, along with the occupant of the Honda, a 29-year-old man.

Their injuries initially were considered critical, police said, but the hospital later upgraded their conditions to guarded.

None of the victims was wearing a seat belt, police said. Police are investigating whether speed or alcohol were factors in the accident.

Palolo man reports robbery of safe

A 25-year-old Palolo man told police he was robbed in his home yesterday by armed men who took the safe from his bedroom.

Police were called at 2:15 a.m. to a home in the 2300 block of Palolo Road. The man said he had gone to his kitchen to eat when he was grabbed by one intruder, while another held a gun to his head.

Suspect arrested while swimming

Police arrested a 17-year-old suspect in a Monday robbery and kidnapping case when the victim spotted him Thursday, swimming in Waikiki.

The victim, a 23-year-old-woman, told police she had been walking to a friend's house shortly before noon near Ala Moana when she was confronted by the suspect, whom she has known for two years.

The suspect allegedly struck her in the face and took her jewelry. Yesterday, she said she saw him swimming and called police.

Man allegedly shoots at relative

Police arrested a 34-year-old La'ie man yesterday after he allegedly got into a scuffle with his brother-in-law and fired three wayward shots from a rifle.

Police said the brother-in-law reported hearing his sister's husband yelling and went to investigate about 6:20 p.m. The brother-in-law got into an argument with the husband, who left and returned with a rifle. The husband pointed the rifle at his brother-in-law, who grabbed the rifle, police said.

During the struggle, three shots were fired because the husband's finger was on the trigger. No one was injured.