Posted on: Wednesday, January 14, 2004

Maui police arrest 2 tourists in fatal fall of woman, 18

Associated Press

KA'ANAPALI, Maui — Two California men were arrested yesterday in connection with the death of an 18-year-old New Jersey woman who fell from a ninth floor balcony of a Maui hotel, police said.

The men, ages 19 and 20, of Folsom, were arrested on charges of second-degree murder in the death of Lauren Crossan, of Randolph, N.J., said acting Lt. Tivoli Faaumu of the Lahaina Criminal Investigation Division.

Crossan's body was discovered Monday morning on the grounds of the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort. She was part of a group from the National Association of American Cheerleaders that had arrived on Maui over the weekend to participate in this Saturday's Hula Bowl game, police said.

She apparently had met the two men at the hotel. The men, who were registered to the room from which Crossan fell, were on vacation and not connected to the football game nor to the cheerleaders' group, Faaumu said.

The California men, whose identities have not been released, told police that the woman was in their room when they fell asleep at around 1:30 a.m. Monday.

Her belongings were in the room when police arrived to question the two men, who said they didn't know what happened to her until police told them, Faaumu said.

"There was some inconsistency in the statements we received from them," Faaumu said. "With all of that, we feel that we have enough probable cause to hold them for questioning at this time."

An autopsy confirmed that Crossan died of injuries suffered in the fall, Faaumu said.

An investigation is continuing.