Posted on: Saturday, May 10, 2003
Hawai'i briefs
Nanakuli brushfire burns 70 acres
A large fire burned about 70 acres of brush and came to within 50 feet of several homes in Nanakuli yesterday afternoon.
There were no reports of damage, and fire spokesman Capt. Kenison Tejada credited residents.
"Everybody is fairly experienced there and they were out in the back watering whatever grass they might have and wetting down the area," Tejada said. He also said the scorched area was fairly open and the winds were blowing the flames away from the homes.
Twenty fire companies and the Air One helicopter fought the brushfire, which was reported at 1:51 p.m. along Haleakala Avenue near Ulei Loop. The fire was contained at about 5:30p.m., but continued to smolder into the night.
Hit-and-run victim's identity disclosed
HILO, Hawai'i — Big Island police have identified the woman who was killed May 2 in a hit-and-run accident in South Kohala as Esther Etta Gipson of Independence, Mo.
Police are still looking for the driver of the vehicle that struck Gipson, 42, on Mamalahoa Highway near Nani Waimea.
Police found Gipson after being called to the scene at 4:05 a.m. May 2. She suffered severe head injuries, and was pronounced dead at Kona Community Hospital at 10:19 a.m.
Anyone with information should call Officer Martin Ellazar at (808) 326-4646; Sgt. Leroy Victorino at (808) 961-2332; the police nonemergency number at (808) 935-3311; or Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona.
Police need help to find Puna man
HILO, Hawai'i — Big Island police are asking for help in locating a 55-year-old Puna man reportedly missing since Feb. 26.
Gerald S. Santiago of Nanawale Estates is 6 feet 2 and about 160 pounds. He has black hair and green eyes.
Anyone with information about Santiago's whereabouts is asked to call detective Thomas C. Waltjen at (808) 961-2386, or the police nonemergency number at (808) 935-3311.
Couple charged with forgery, theft
HILO, Hawai'i — Kona detectives have charged a British couple with forgery and theft after one of the pair allegedly passed a counterfeit $100 bill at a Kailua business.
Paul White, 36, and Anita Moreton, 34, both of Birmingham, England, were each charged with four counts of first-degree forgery and four counts of fourth-degree theft. They were arrested Tuesday after employees at a business at Lanihau Shopping Center called police to report a woman had given a store worker a fake bill.
Kona patrol officers stopped the couple in their rental vehicle and found three counterfeit $100 bills. A search of the suspects' Ali'i Drive condominium and a security deposit box turned up 22 more counterfeit $100 bills, police said.
Police believe the couple passed the bogus currency at other businesses. Anyone who may have received counterfeit U.S. currency should call detective Zachary Houchin at (808) 326-4232 or the Secret Service office in Honolulu at 541-1912.
