A 34-year-old man awaiting trial on armed robbery and attempted murder charges was arrested yesterday at O'ahu Community Correctional Center on suspicion of being the gunman in a fatal drive-by shooting March 6 at North Vineyard Boulevard and A'ala Street.

Earl Hirakawa, 40, was shot to death while driving his car.

The suspect arrested yesterday has been charged in connection with two violent offenses in Kapahulu this year: the Jan. 18 robbery of Bailey's Antiques and the shooting of the owner of GH Pawn and Gold Exchange on March 16. The second robbery case involved an exchange of gunfire between the suspect and pawn dealer.

Guard allegedly punched man

A 22-year-old security officer was arrested early today on suspicion of punching a man in front of the Longs Drug Store at 1330 Pali Highway. An argument between the two men at 12:45 a.m. may have started with a dirty look, police said.

Witnesses told police the security office punched the man, also 22, twice in the face for no apparent reason. The injured man was treated at The Queen's Medical Center for a fractured orbital bone, police said. The security officer, arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault, was later released pending further investigation.

Suspect held in purse theft

A 36-year-old man with no permanent local address was arrested yesterday on Hau Street in Kalihi Kai on suspicion of robbing a woman of her purse at a Kilauea Avenue bus stop in August.

Police are seeking to charge the man today with second-degree robbery. On Aug. 2, a 32-year-old woman was punched and dragged by a getaway car in a purse-snatching. Detectives working the case identified the suspect but were unable to find him until yesterday with assistance from the Career Criminal Unit.

Charges filed in alleged assault

Police yesterday charged a 27-year-old man for allegedly throwing a glass object at an employee of World Café during a Sunday morning confrontation inside the nightclub at 1130 N. Nimitz Highway.

Thomas Farmer was charged with second-degree assault and is being held in lieu of $20,000 bail.

A bouncer at the club suffered deep lacerations on his face and neck after being struck in the face by the object, police said.