Police Beat

Advertiser Staff

Not guilty plea in Pali golf killings

Kevin Gonsalves

Kevin Gonsalves, who was arrested after a two-week manhunt, entered his plea via a video link from O'ahu Community Correctional Center, where he's being held.

The other two suspects being held in the Jan. 7 shootings at the Pali Golf Course, Rodney Joseph, 35, of Wai'anae, and Ethan Motta, 34, of Hilo, also have pleaded not guilty.

Romelius Corpuz, 40, died of a gunshot to the head in the Pali shootings. Lepo Taliese Utu, 44, died of multiple gunshot wounds. Tino Sao, 42, remains hospitalized.

Gonsalves' trial is set for the week of March 22. He is being held on $1 million bail.

Man charged in Kapolei shooting

An O'ahu man faces federal firearms charges for allegedly firing a shotgun three times into a Kapolei nightclub Friday night.

A criminal complaint filed in federal court yesterday says John Carlyon Jr., 21, got into a confrontation with a customer at T Spot Hideaway Cigar & Lounge at the Kapolei Shopping Center and was asked to leave.

He returned about an hour later with two other people and fired a 20-gauge shotgun into the bar, according to the complaint. Police said they captured Carlyon after a foot chase and recovered the shotgun.

Carlyon was charged with possession of an unregistered firearm, one which contained no serial number.

The pending federal action stems from the Project Safe Neighborhood Act, aimed at gun violence in neighborhoods, and the use of the sawed-off shotgun, a prohibited weapon.

Three arrested after brawl near bar

Police arrested two boys, ages 16 and 17, and a man, 19, after a brawl early Sunday in the parking lot of a Kalihi bar. During the fight, one man was hit in the head with a beer bottle and another threatened with a gun.

The three were booked on suspicion of first-degree terroristic threatening, and second- and third-degree assault and released pending further investigation.

The confrontation outside of a bar known as Club Lao Star, was reported to police at 1 a.m. and involved a group of 15 people fighting against three others. Members of the larger group had knives and one of them, the 16-year-old, allegedly hit a man, 24, on the head with a beer bottle and threatened one of the club's bouncers, 30, with a gun.

Man charged for driving at officer

A 29-year-old Makakilo man was charged Sunday with first-degree terroristic threatening for allegedly driving his vehicle at a police officer Saturday morning after entering an undisclosed work area on the Leeward Coast that was closed to traffic. Hoona Uta is being held in lieu of $25,000 bail.

Correction: Club Lao Star and Thai Garden Lounge were incorrectly identified in a previous version of these briefs.