4 injured in crash on Kunia Road
Advertiser Staff
Four people were injured, one critically, in a car crash early yesterday that forced the closure of Kunia Road in Waipahu for four hours.
Police said a 1998 two-door Honda, traveling north at a high speed on Kunia Road, was turning right onto the eastbound onramp of H-1 Freeway when it went out of control and hit a wall at 3:15 a.m.
The driver, a 21-year-old Waipahu man, suffered critical injuries. His three passengers — a 20-year-old man, 18-year-old woman and 16-year-old and girl — were not as seriously injured, police said, but all were taken to The Queen's Medical Center.
Kunia Road was closed from 4:28 to 8:26 a.m.
HONOLULU
POLICE MAY PROBE BABY BOY'S DEATH
Police yesterday were awaiting the results of an autopsy before deciding whether to launch an investigation into the death of an 8-month-old boy who died Saturday from head injuries.
The child, identified yesterday by the medical examiner's office as Kannon Trusca of Nevada, was brought to the emergency room of Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children on July 18 with head injuries. Trusca was declared brain dead Saturday and all life support was removed, police said.
The case was classified as an unattended death, pending an autopsy.
CLASS HELPS STUDY FOR FIREFIGHTER TEST
Honolulu Community College is offering classes to help prepare people for the the upcoming firefighter applicants' written exam.
The class will include sample problems from previous exams as well as an overview of past exams, along with general test-taking strategies and tips.
The eight-hour classes are offered in four sessions:
To register, call 845-9296 or visit http://honolulu.hawaii .edu/fireprep/.
FREE FILMMAKING TALK TOMORROW
A free lecture on Independent Filmmaking in Hawai'i will be held at noon tomorrow at the Hawai'i State Art Museum at 250 S. Hotel St. downtown.
Filmmaker Leah Kihara will describe the techniques of her work creating independent films.
The lecture is the first in a series called ARTLUNCH at the museum that will run through December and feature talks with people who sculpt, work with glass and create murals.
The talks will be held in the first floor multipurpose room and food is allowed.
For information, call 586-9958.
KAILUA
MAN ARRESTED IN BASEBALL BAT ATTACK
A 27-year-old Kailua man was arrested early yesterday after he allegedly hit his 17-year-old girlfriend with a baseball bat.
Police said the man returned to his Kailua home drunk at 3:40 a.m. yesterday and began hitting and yelling at his girlfriend, who was sleeping. The man then hit her with an aluminum baseball bat. Police did not know the extent of her injuries.
The man left the house and was found by patrol officers hiding in a drainage canal, police said. They arrested him for investigation of second-degree assault.
BIG ISLAND
SOUTH KOHALA FIRE UNDER CONTROL
Big Island firefighters by 2 a.m. yesterday contained a brushfire in South Kohala that burned more than 2,000 acres and spent the rest of the day putting out hot spots and monitoring the situation.
The monitoring for flareups continued overnight.
Mamalahoa Highway, or Highway 190, was closed between Waikoloa Road and the Waimea airport junction most of Saturday, firefighters said. Hilo to Kona traffic was detoured onto Kawaihae Road through Waimea.
The fire, which was on the makai side of the highway, did not endanger any homes.
AROUND THE STATE
SCHOOLS GET AID FOR DRAINAGE
Gov. Linda Lingle has released $576,000 to improve site drainage at two public schools — Hokulani Elementary School on O'ahu and Konawaena Middle School on the Big Island.
Hokulani Elementary and Konawaena Middle school each will received $288,000 to correct drainage and flooding problems.
Both school facilities have suffered from poor drainage and flooding.
At Hokulani Elementary in Manoa, the rainwater runoff from the school creates puddles in the low area between Building C and the adjacent private property, then seeps through the retaining wall and onto the neighboring property.
At Konawaena Middle School, heavy rain floods Buildings A and B.
The drainage improvements are expected to be completed between December 2006 and January 2007.
WAIPI'O
CABLE INSPECTION TO CLOSE LANE
Hawaiian Electric Co. is inspecting underground distribution cables in the Waipi'o area and will close one traffic lane around the work crews through Sept. 2.
Work on Uke'e Street will include Puahi Street, Ka Uka Boulevard and Moaniani Street. Inspections will be done from about 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays.
KANE'OHE
AUTHORS TO SPEAK AT LIBRARY
Kane'ohe Public Library is scheduled to host two free one-hour author programs for those ages 12 and up in August.
On Aug. 7, English-born mystery author Sujata Massey will discuss her experiences researching, writing and publishing her novels at 2 p.m. in the Adult Reading Section. Massey also will read excerpts from her latest novel, "The Typhoon Lover," which will be published this fall.
On Aug. 10, a writing workshop will be presented by Victoria Heckman at 6:30 p.m. in the Young Adult Section offering information for developing writers on how to improve writing and hopes for publication.
Heckman is a writer, actor, director and teacher who has published more than 30 short stories and articles. She is also the author of "K.O.'d in Ho-nolulu" and "K.O.'d in the Volcano," which feature a brassy Honolulu police officer named Katrina Ogden. The third installment, "K.O.'d in the Rift," will be released in September.
