Neighbor Island briefs
Advertiser Staff and News Services
Storm cuts power in Hilo and Puna
HILO, Hawai'i — A lightning storm on the windward side of the Big Island knocked out traffic lights all across Hilo and cut power in portions of Hilo and Puna yesterday.
Hawai'i Electric Light Co. said lightning strikes near power lines beginning at about 11:25 a.m. damaged transformers and caused short circuits that cut power to about 7,200 homes and businesses.
Most customers were affected for only a few seconds, but the upper Puna area from Kea'au to Mountain View lost power for more than an hour, according to a HELCO spokesman.
The power company expected to continue work last night repairing equipment that caused smaller outages in Hilo and Puna.
Investigation nets six gambling arrests
HILO, Hawai'i — Police this week arrested six Hilo residents as a result of an undercover investigation into gambling.
All six were indicted by a grand jury and were placed on supervised release after pleading not guilty in 3rd Circuit Court.
Those charged are Kaleonahe Chung, 28, eight counts of gambling; Valerie C. Ferrieira, 45, four counts of promoting gambling and one count of gambling; Samuel K. Kamahele, 32, 12 counts of promoting gambling, eight counts of gambling and one count of possessing a gambling device; Aaron Jitchaku, 45, nine counts of promoting gambling and one count of possessing a gambling device; James Macomber, 30, six counts of promoting gambling; and Ethan Motta, 34, 10 counts of gambling.
The six and four others were initially arrested in Dec. 21, 2000, during a vice unit raid on a craps game at a Leilani Street business in Hilo, said police Lt. Marshall Kanehailua. Along with a craps table and gambling devices, officers seized more than $9,000 in cash, he said.
Maui woman, 21, believed abducted
 |
| Cheyanne Gomes |
Cheyanne Gomes is about 5 feet, 120 pounds, with brown hair and eyes.
A witness told police that Gomes was forced into a vehicle at gunpoint by a male acquaintance at 12:25 p.m. Wednesday in front of a home on Kaomi Place. Police recovered a firearm nearby, as well as a vehicle believed to have been used by the suspect.
Sgt. Jamie Becraft said detectives want to talk to both Gomes and the 32-year-old suspect. Anyone with information should call Maui police at (808) 244-6400.
Ha'iku man dies in motorcycle crash
A 44-year-old Ha'iku man died early yesterday on Maui after his motorcycle struck a utility pole.
The victim, identified as Jesse Lee Ellis, was alone on the 1997 black Honda Nighthawk, which was equipped with a sidecar, when the accident occurred at 1:30 a.m., police said.
Police called to the Ha'iku scene — Kauhikoa Road, north of Kaupakulua Road — concluded that Ellis was traveling north on Kauhikoa, lost control and crashed into the pole, causing him to be ejected.
Ellis, who was not wearing a helmet, was taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 6 a.m.
Alcohol is suspected as a factor in the traffic fatality, Maui's second this year.
Chlorine gas leak halted on Kaua'i
LIHU'E, Kaua'i — Water Department officials said there were no injuries and no interruption in water service caused by a chlorine gas leak Thursday at the department's Nonou Well No. 9-1-C.
The leak occurred during the replacement of chlorine gas cylinders used to disinfect drinking water. A nearly empty cylinder could not be shut off, so a Fire Department hazardous materials crew was called to stop the release of gas and to install a leak prevention cap.
Two Water Department employees were taken to Wilcox Hospital, but were released and allowed to return to work.
