Posted on: Saturday, January 8, 2005
Arrest made in 'Aiea blast
By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer
A 33-year-old Waipahu man was arrested last night in connection with a New Year's Day fireworks explosion in 'Aiea that seriously injured an 11-year-old girl.
Advertiser library photo • Jan. 7, 2005 Police said the man has no criminal record.
The arrest came a week after a homemade explosive device blew up in the early morning hours of New Year's Day near 98-136 Kihale St. The blast injured 11-year-old Cydnee Somera, who was standing on a bridge behind a parked car.
Cydnee said she saw three men detonate a bucket that was filled with sand, weighted material and other objects. She said she raised her left arm to protect her face when a piece of concrete slammed into her hand.
She suffered broken bones in her wrist and severed tendons in her fingers. She has no feeling in her left pinkie finger, said her father, Sid Somera. She has had three surgeries at Kaiser Moanalua Medical Center to repair the broken bones. Next week, she will have more surgery to repair nerve damage.
The blast also damaged four cars.
Cydnee and her parents, Tanya and Sid Somera, made a public appeal on Thursday for wit-
"I've never been happier to make an arrest," said Detective Eric Yiu, who is heading the investigation.
Tanya Somera said, "We're happy that it (the appeal) did work but we're just waiting to hear from Detective Yiu on what's happening."
Yiu said he received about 20 calls, with about half being "good calls." Surprisingly, Yiu said, many of the credible tips came from juveniles.
"They saw the girl on TV and they said they felt sorry for her," Yiu said last night. "They told me they came forward because the adults are not doing the right thing. They were articulate and they were believable."
Yiu said the witnesses said they saw the man and two other men putting together and then igniting the explosive device. He said they were "independent witnesses" who were from different groups and attending separate parties.
Yiu said he called the man at his workplace yesterday and he agreed to turn himself in. Yiu said the focus was on this man because "we had the most on him."
The man declined to issue a statement to police last night, Yiu said.
Tanya Somera said they are hopeful Cydnee can go home after her fourth surgery next week. She has had hospital visits from teachers and classmates at Maunawili Elementary, where she is a sixth-grader.
Reach Curtis Lum at culum@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8025.
The man turned himself in at the main police station on South Beretania Street at about 7:30 p.m. and was released without charges pending further investigation. He was booked on one count of first-degree reckless endangering and second-degree assault, but could face additional charges including criminal property damage.
Cydnee Somera, 11, has had three surgeries on her injured hand, with more to come.
esses to help find the three men. A day later, police made their first arrest and expect to make at least one more arrest today.
