Police Beat
Advertiser Staff
North Shore highway closure
A section of Kamehameha Highway between Sunset Beach and Velzeyland was closed to traffic at 8:40 a.m. today because a pole was leaning over the roadway.
Fred Kobashikawa of Hawaiian Electric Co. said the pole will have to be replaced and repair work would take most of the day. The pole carries electrical, telephone and cable TV lines but no outages have been reported, said Kobashikawa.
Fire damages Aaston Maui Lu
Fire officials today were investigating a “suspicious” fire that destroyed a vacant, two-story building at the Aston Maui Lu Resort yesterday afternoon.
Damage from the 2 p.m. fire was estimated at $114,000, which includes the loss of appliances from the small building formerly used for guest rooms.
Hotel manager Charles St. Sure said many guests at the 30-acre resort were unaware of the fire because the building is at least 300 yards away from the nearest room with guests.
However, South K&Mac246;hei Road was closed for about an hour between 2 and 3 p.m., and the hotel’s entrance was blocked until about 4 p.m., he said.
The fire was reported at 2:01 p.m., and firefighters responded within minutes, bringing it under control within 15 minutes.
The fire has been classified as “suspicious.” St. Sure noted that it wasn’t an electrical fire, because power was cut off to the building a long time ago.
Two charged in home burglary
Two men were charged yesterday in connection with the burglary of a Hale'iwa home on Saturday.
Walter Hao, 20, of Wai'anae and Michael Samson, 22, of Wahiawa are being held on outstanding warrants.
Stolen bike in 'Ewa collision
A 17-year-old boy was in critical condition today at The Queen's Medical Center after being struck by a pickup truck early yesterday in 'Ewa while riding a stolen bicycle.
Police said the boy was headed south on Fort Weaver Road when he changed direction by crossing a grass median and into the path of a 1988 Nissan pickup truck at 1:03 a.m. His injuries include a broken pelvis, police said.
Quarrel leaves man injured
A 26-year-old Kalihi man was arrested on suspicion of driving a car at three men yesterday morning during an argument at Ke'ehi Boat Harbor. One of the three men, 25, was in guarded condition today at The Queen's Medical Center; the other two were not seriously injured.
The incident on Sand Island Access Road occurred at 6:15 a.m. The suspect was arrested at 7:50 a.m. when he returned to the scene.
Police said the man was among a group of men involved in an argument that erupted into violence.
Two charged in armed robbery
Police on Friday charged two men in connection with an armed robbery Wednesday in Pearl City in which a 42-year-old woman was struck in the face with a pistol.
Charles Brooks, 23, and Jhirmel Pagan, 19, were charged with first-degree robbery and a firearm violation. They are each being held in lieu of $50,000 bail. The woman's purse and a gun that may have been the one used in the robbery were recovered when the suspects were found and arrested shortly after the 11:55 p.m. robbery on the 98-400 block of Kamehameha Highway was reported to police.
Moloka'i crash injures driver
A 21-year-old man injured in a single-car crash Saturday on Maunaloa Highway in west Moloka'i is in critical condition today at The Queen's Medical Center.
Moloka'i police said the man was driving a Honda sedan that struck a utility pole after veering off the roadway. A woman and 18-month-old infant, passengers in the car, were treated for injuries and released. Police said speed and inattentive driving appear to be factors.
