Posted on: Friday, August 6, 2004
POLCE BEAT
Police probe of traffic fatal completed
Advertiser Staff and News Services
HILO, Hawai'i — Hawai'i County police have completed an internal investigation into a fatal traffic accident involving a police officer in February, authorities said.
The case was filed this week with the county prosecutor's office, which will decide whether charges should be filed against officer Bryan Ellis, 29.
Authorities have said Ellis was making a nonurgent response to a call for service early on Feb. 15 when his sport utility vehicle struck Gregory Pluta Jr., 33, who was walking in the southbound lane of Ali'i Drive in Kailua, Kona. Pluta later died at Kona Community Hospital
First Deputy Prosecutor Charlene Iboshi said the case will be assigned to Deputy Prosecutor Michael Kagami, who can send it back to police for further investigation or conduct his own interviews before deciding whether to charge Ellis.
A 40-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of car theft at about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday on Kamehameha Highway in Waikane after a police officer who was directing traffic noticed the car the woman was driving had no headlights and the brake lights were not working.
The officer ran a check on the car's license plates, learned it had been reported stolen and arrested the woman.
A 27-year-old Pearl City man was arrested on suspicion of third-degree theft after he was caught while allegedly stealing more than $500 worth of board shorts at about 10:50 Wednesday night from a convenience store on Koa Avenue in Waikiki.
The store manager told police that she saw one man hold a bag open as another man filled the bag with about 10 pairs of shorts. The manager said she approached the two men, who ran out of the store through separate doors.
The manager said she chased the man holding the bag and was finally able to grab it away from him. An on-duty police officer saw the commotion, arrested the man and found that the bag contained merchandise from a number of other stores as well.
A 69-year-old man from Kekaha, Kaua'i, was arrested on five counts of first-degree terroristic threatening and one count of second-degree assault after a domestic dispute at his Kekaha home Tuesday night.
Kaua'i police were notified at about 7:45 p.m. that Felicisimo Aguiran had allegedly threatened and attacked a family member with a knife.
Responding officers found Aguiran barricaded in a bedroom with a knife and spear gun. The officers tried to talk to Aguiran, who was alone in the bedroom, but he did not respond.
After further attempts to communicate with Aguiran failed, a police Special Services Team entered the home and arrested him at about 11:10 p.m.
No officers were injured during the incident. Aguiran was injured slightly and was immediately treated by paramedics before being taken to Kaua'i Veterans Memorial Hospital.
The cost of hiring off-duty police officers for special services on Maui will be going up for the first time in 18 years.
Currently, it costs $22 an hour to hire a patrol officer and $25 an hour for a supervisor.
Under the revised fee schedule, patrol officers will receive $30 an hour, while sergeants, lieutenants and captains will be paid $35 per hour.
Driver of stolen car arrested
Suspect held in theft of shorts
Man arrested in domestic dispute
Fees going up for off-duty police
