Hawai'i briefs

Advertiser Staff

Dead shoplifting suspect identified

A shoplifting suspect who died last week after regurgitating small plastic bags containing narcotics was identified yesterday by the Honolulu Medical Examiner as Awan O. Tyrrell.

Tyrrell, 23, had no known O'ahu address, said Susan Siu, the medical examiner's chief investigator. The cause of death has not been determined, pending the result of tests on the as-yet unidentified narcotics, Siu said.

Tyrrell died Sept. 13 at Castle Medical Center.

Police said Tyrrell was suspected of stealing CDs that same morning from the Hungry Ear music store on Ku'ulei Road in Kailua. Although the store manager had tried to stop him, Tyrrell got away. Police said they found him later at the intersection of Mokulua and 'A'alapapa streets in Lanikai.

Because he looked ill, police took Tyrrell to Castle where doctors found the baggies after he threw up.

HPU divers to clean up reef

The Hawai'i Pacific University's dive club today will conduct a cleanup of fishing gear caught on the reefs between Hawai'i Kai and Hanauma Bay. Dive club secretary Sara Yeo, a senior, said the club expects a dozen divers to use two tanks apiece, for about 24 hours total underwater time. The divers will be accompanied by a boat. She said the area is popular with anglers, and that the coral often snags fishing gear.

"There's a lot of fishing weights and line on that reef," she said.

The club will use wire cutters and mesh bags to collect the gear. The club hopes to melt down the lead fishing weights to make dive weights.

"Any hooks we find that are still in good shape, we'll probably donate to the fishing club," she said.

Brushfire in West Maui contained

WAIKAPU, Maui — A fire that blackened an estimated 1,000 acres of brush in the West Maui Mountains has been contained but was still smoldering yesterday, officials said. Helicopter and ground crews continued to work hot spots, some of which reached elevations of 2,000 feet and more. The blaze started Tuesday when high winds pushed a Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. harvesting cane fire out of control, sending it into the mountainous terrain above the Sandalwood and Grand Waikapu golf courses.

Correction: Awan O. Tyrrell died Sept. 13 after regurgitating small plastic bags containing narcotics, according to police. His name was incorrect in a previous version of this story.