Police Beat
Advertiser Staff
Soldier killed in crash is identified
The 24-year-old Schofield soldier killed Saturday in a car crash on Ala Moana was identified yesterday by the Army as Sgt. Greg A. Mendoza of Houston.
Mendoza is the fifth Schofield soldier and sixth military man killed in a traffic accident this year on O'ahu. His death is O'ahu's 24th traffic fatality in 2003, compared with 29 on the same date in 2003.
Police said Mendoza lost control of a speeding 2001 Mitsubishi Gallant that plowed into a tree near Pi'ikoi Street at 3:30 a.m. Three men in the car suffered serious injuries. The Army identified the three as Sgt. Rodney V. Randolph, 21, of Lackowana, N.Y.; Spc. Christopher Robinson, 23, of Columbus, Ohio; and Pfc. Oscar D. Colindres, 21, of Hialeah, Fla.
Man, 51, wounded in park shooting
A 51-year-old homeless man was shot Sunday night at Ala Moana Beach Park and taken to The Queen's Medical Center with critical abdominal injuries.
Witnesses told police the man was shot at 11:12 p.m. by one of two men who were dealing drugs in the park.
The victim reportedly had punched one of the men, who then went to a maroon van parked near the diamondhead side concession to retrieve a gun, police said. The man shot the victim once.
Police recovered a wallet with identification near where the van was parked.
Teen conscious after stabbing
A 17-year-old Kahuku senior who was stabbed seven times early Sunday at a post-prom party in Mililani was in critical condition at The Queen's Medical Center but is now conscious, the teen's mother said.
The stabbing occurred at about 1:50 a.m. during an argument between the teen and a man, 20. The boy was stabbed once in the arm and once in the chest and five times on his arms. The man was booked on suspicion of attempted murder.
Kalihi City Bank branch robbed
City Bank's Kalihi branch at 2119 N. King St. was robbed of an undisclosed amount of cash shortly after noon Friday by a man who handed a teller a note. It was the second bank robbery of the year on O'ahu. Police have made no arrests.
Missing soldier found at school
A 22-year-old Army man who was reported missing at Waimea Bay early yesterday was found wandering on the grounds of Sunset Beach Elementary School at about 10 a.m.
Police and fire rescue specialists, including divers, had been searching for the man since 2:30 a.m. The man was with three others at Waimea Bay and went to wash up but never showed up in the parking lot where his companions were waiting.