HAWAI'I BRIEFS
Farmer indicted in woman's death
Advertiser Staff and News Services
A 40-year-old man accused of fatally beating his former girlfriend by striking her multiple times with a hammer was indicted by an O'ahu grand jury yesterday on a murder charge.
Clayton Higa, a Wai'anae pig farmer, is accused of murdering Shantel Figueroa, 21, of Wai'anae, Saturday at a farm on Mai'ili'ili Road.
The murder charge carries a life term with parole possible.
City Deputy Prosecutor Vickie Kapp told Circuit Judge Derrick Chan that Higa admitted to witnesses, including his mother and aunt, that he killed his former girlfriend. Higa then seriously injured himself with a large knife, Kapp said.
Kapp said Higa is extremely violent and a danger to the victim's family and the community.
Based on Kapp's report, Chan granted the prosecution request to set Higa's bail at $100,000.
Higa remained hospitalized with his injuries.
EAST HONOLULU
ADVICE SOUGHT ON IMPROVING PARKS
The Hawai'i Kai Neighborhood Board Parks and Recreation Committee wants to hear from residents about their ideas and wishes for community parks at a meeting at 6:30 p.m. today at Koko Head District Park.
A representative from the city administration will be on hand to answer questions, and members of the board want to hear from the community on its park wishes.
Some projects in the works are an archery range at Koko Head Shooting Complex, a dog park, a pool and renovations to Koko Head District Park.
BIG ISLAND
CONVICT ARRESTED, SENT TO MAINLAND
HILO, Hawai'i — Washington state authorities last week took custody of a Puna man wanted for fleeing from community supervision there more than two years ago, and for failing to register as a sex offender.
Aaron Wells, 32, was convicted in Pierce County, Wash., in 2001 on four counts of possession of depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, one count of computer trespass and one count of possession of stolen property.
He was on community custody status in July 2003 when he left Washington without permission. He moved to Hawai'i last year, according to court records.
Wells was arrested Jan. 11 after police searched his Fern Acres home in Mountain View during an investigation into alleged welfare fraud and theft, according to court records.
Court affidavits allege Wells has impersonated a police officer, a nurse and a pastor, and that he was fired from a Kea'au flower-packing firm after pretending to be an accountant.
KALIHI
BUS RIDER ARRESTED IN KNIFE THREAT
Police arrested a 21-year-old man yesterday afternoon after he allegedly threatened two people with a knife on a city bus.
Police said the man got onto the bus in Kalihi about 5:25 p.m. and pulled a knife on a 50-year-old woman. Police said the man was "heavily intoxicated" at the time.
The bus driver called police and stopped the bus. As the passengers were getting off the bus, police said, the man grabbed a 19-year-old man and threatened him with the knife.
Police were able to arrest the man and recover the knife. He remained in police custody last night and faced charges of first-degree terroristic threatening.
HONOLULU
DISPUTE OVER CAR RESULTS IN ARREST
A 42-year-old Liliha man was arrested Wednesday after he allegedly threatened a service representative at a car dealership with a gun.
Police said the man became angry and agitated after a service representative for the Mercedes dealer on Kapi'olani Boulevard told him his car was no longer under warranty and that he would have to pay for repairs to the car.
Police were told that the customer began to argue with the worker and pulled out what appeared to be a handgun and threatened to harm the service rep about 3:30 p.m.
The irate customer also shoved a second dealer employee who came to the aid of the first, police said.
The angry customer left the dealership before police arrived but was found a short time later and arrested at Pauahi and Maunakea streets on suspicion of carrying a handgun in public, first-degree terroristic threatening and harassment.
