HAWAI'I BRIEFS
Woman killed in crash identified
Advertiser Staff
Police and the city medical examiner's office have identified a woman killed Sunday morning in a fiery crash on the H-1 Freeway near Middle Street in Kalihi as Betsy T. Brown.
Brown died of smoke inhalation and burns, the medical examiner said.
Witnesses told police the 2003 Chevy Cavalier she was driving was traveling faster than 100 mph westbound on H-1, but they said she was not racing anyone.
Just past the Middle Street area, the woman's car hit a yellow plastic crash-impact barrel where the roadway forks, with Moanalua Freeway going to the left and H-1 continuing on the right.
The car flipped several times and skidded on its roof then burst into flames, witnesses said.
Storm-tossed ship ready to sail
The Semester at Sea vessel Explorer that was damaged by a 50-foot wave two weeks ago is scheduled to depart Honolulu Saturday.
The 590-foot Bahamian-flagged Explorer has been in Honolulu since Jan. 31 for repairs after it was damaged at sea Jan. 26. The Explorer was carrying 990 people, including 665 college students, when it was disabled while sailing from Vancouver, British Columbia, to South Korea.
Huge waves and strong winds pummeled the Explorer, knocking out power to the ship's controls and two of its four engines. Two minor injuries were reported.
The students are scheduled to fly to Shanghai tomorrow and then travel to other ports in China and Vietnam. The Explorer will meet the students in Ho Chi Minh City.
The Semester at Sea Program is operated by the Institute for Shipboard Education in partnership with the University of Pittsburgh.
Man critical after H-1 accident
A 23-year-old Pearl City man was critically injured yesterday morning when he was thrown from his car after it hit a concrete wall on the H-1 Freeway near the Kalihi Street overpass.
Police said the man was traveling eastbound in the freeway's center lane when his gold 2004 Nissan Sentra veered to the right around 3:10 a.m., striking the wall and then veering back to the left where it struck the center divider.
The driver was taken to The Queen's Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition.
Police said they believe speed and alcohol were factors and that the driver was not wearing a seat belt.
Car wash to aid tsunami victims
Students of Lutheran High School of Hawai'i will wash cars as part of a fund-raising drive for tsunami survivors, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the school, 1404 University Ave.
The school is seeking donations of $5 for the students to wash a car, and $10 for larger vehicles such as trucks and SUVs.
Proceeds will be donated to the Red Cross Tsunami Relief Fund Drive. A majority of the student body of 124 is expected to participate, a school spokesman said.
LEEWARD
Man charged with sex assault
A 37-year-old Wai'anae man was charged yesterday with three counts of third-degree sexual assault after a girl said she was fondled on a city bus.
Robert Kamaile was being held in a police cell block last night on $50,000 bail.
A 14-year-old girl told police she was riding a bus to school Monday morning when a man fondled her. The girl reported the incident to the bus driver, police said.
The man attempted to flee, but police said the driver was able to detain the man and hold him until police arrived.
In addition to the sexual assault charges, Kamaile also was arrested on outstanding warrants for failing to appear in court on a similar charge of sexually assaulting a person on a city bus, police said.
CENTRAL
Diabetes group honors couple
Retired educators Irene and Carl Takeshita of Pearl City have been honored with the American Diabetes Association's National Youth Initiative Award for 2004 for their diabetes and obesity prevention program.
Aimed at fourth-graders, "Diabetes and You" teaches children about the importance of healthy diet and exercise in preventing Type 2 diabetes as well as managing the condition.
Students then take the information home and share it with their parents or caregivers.
