POLICE BEAT
Woman dies after being hit by van

Advertiser Staff

An elderly woman died last night of injuries she suffered when she was struck by a van as she crossed Kalakaua Avenue yesterday morning.

Police said the accident occurred at about 11:20 a.m. at Kalakaua near Makaloa Street. Witnesses told police the woman, who was in her 80s, was in a crosswalk but crossing against the red light when she was hit by a white Chevy van.

The woman was dragged a short distance before the van stopped. The woman was pinned under the vehicle. She was taken to The Queen's Medical Center in critical condition, but she died early last night, police said.

The 66-year-old driver of the van was not injured, police said, and speed and alcohol did not appear to be factors in the crash.

A portion of Kalakaua Avenue was closed for more than four hours while police investigated the accident.

Pali lanes closed after accidents

The Kailua-bound lanes of the Pali Highway were closed for about an hour last night after several traffic accidents in the tunnel.

No one was seriously injured, but police closed the highway at 7:15 p.m. to avoid more accidents on the rain-slick road. Windward-bound motorists were turned back.

One lane was open to traffic at 7:50 and both lanes were reopened at about 8:15.

2 traffic-accident victims identified

A man who was killed when the car he was driving struck two trees early Sunday morning on Ka'ahumanu Street in Pearl City has been identified by the city medical examiner's office as Derek James Park, 24, of 'Aiea.

Police said Park was headed up Ka'ahumanu in a 1999 Mercedes when he failed to negotiate a curve near Komo Mai Drive. The car jumped a curb and hit two trees, pinning Park inside. He was declared dead at the scene.

Also, the medical examiner's office identified Tsuma Matsuyama, 92, as the pedestrian who was fatally injured Thursday when she was hit by a truck near the intersection of Liliha and Bates streets.

Rescued sailors' names released

Two Navy sailors who were rescued Sunday after their recreational boat apparently sank Saturday off Leeward O'ahu were identified yesterday as Petty Officer 2nd Class Gary Chavez and Petty Officer 1st Class Martin Mantz.

The two men had set out for sea in a 21-foot Bayliner Saturday morning from Hickam Air Force Base and were planning to return Saturday afternoon. At around 11:30 a.m., they sent out a distress call saying their boat was taking on water.

Chavez, 28, was picked up by a Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter at 7:40 yesterday morning nine miles off the Wai'anae Coast.

Mantz, 36, was later rescued by a boater piloting the Nina G. near the "S" buoy located 4.1 miles off Poka'i Bay.

Victim of fall in fair condition

A 33-year-old man remained hospitalized in fair condition yesterday after falling from the fifth floor of a vacant hotel at Beach Walk and Kalia Road in Waikiki.

Police said a security guard was on the ground floor of the building when he heard banging noises coming from the fifth floor.

The guard checked the rooms on that floor and found the man jumping from balcony to balcony, police said.

Police reported that the man attempted to drop to a lower floor but missed the landing and fell nearly five stories before striking a ledge, which broke his fall somewhat.

Police discovered a storage room on the fifth floor had been broken into and that a safe and money were missing.

They arrested the man, who received major injuries in the fall, for suspicion of burglary.

Police investigate Saturday stabbing

Police have opened an attempted-murder investigation after two men reported being accosted by two other men while drinking beer Saturday night under the Ke'eaumoku Street overpass near Lunalilo Street.

The two men said their assailants approached them and asked if they had any drugs to sell. Police said the two men responded that they had no drugs, and one of the assailants stabbed one of the men in the back.

The victim was treated at The Queen's Medical Center and released.

The victim's companion told police that he was chased by the other man, who tried to stab him, but that he avoided being injured.

The two knife-wielding men ran from the area before police arrived. No arrests have been made in the case.