A police officer charged with drunken driving Tuesday morning was convicted in December 2006 of a similar charge and also for leaving the scene of an accident.

James A. Urban, 31, was a Honolulu police officer when he pleaded no contest in 2006 to operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant, a petty misdemeanor, and leaving the scene of an accident involving damage to a vehicle or property, a misdemeanor. The charges stemmed from an Oct. 1, 2006, incident, according to Hawai'i Criminal Justice Data Center records.

Urban was fined $1,100, had his driver's license suspended for 90 days and was sentenced to two days in jail.

Urban has been placed on paid leave after being charged with drunken driving Tuesday. Police said Urban was off duty but driving a marked HPD patrol vehicle when arrested at 2:19 a.m. at the Kapolei station.

He has an appearance scheduled for May 27 at 'Ewa District Court.

Internal affairs also is investigating Urban's actions, including his alleged use of the department vehicle.

Urban is assigned to the Kapolei patrol district and is in his fourth year with HPD.

AUSTRALIAN SURFER WANTS JURY TRIAL

A lawyer for Australian surfer and filmmaker Koby Abberton yesterday requested a jury trial in Honolulu District Court for Abberton, who is charged with misdemeanor assault for a March 8 incident in downtown Honolulu.

Abberton, known widely as an Oakley surfwear model and subject of the "Bra Boys" surfing documentary, was arrested March 8 after an altercation outside a bar at North Kukui Street and Nu'uanu Avenue.

Abberton is accused of punching a man. Abberton, free on $1,000 bail, has insisted to Australia media that he is innocent.

MISSING VISITOR SOUGHT ON KAUA'I

The Kaua'i Police Department is asking for the public's help with finding a visitor from Utah who was reported missing April 13.

Jesse Glenn Pinegar, 22, arrived in Hawai'i for a vacation three months ago, police said. He is believed to be somewhere on Kaua'i's north shore, possibly Kalalau Valley, or working on a farm.

Pinegar's father is on Kaua'i searching for his son.

Pinegar is 6 feet 1 and about 185 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes. He has a tattoo of a Celtic tree of life on his right shoulder and Celtic bear tattoo on his left abdomen.

Anyone with information is asked to call police dispatch at 241-1711, police investigative services at 241-1696 or Crime Stoppers at 241-1887.

MOPED RIDER INJURED IN CRASH

A 22-year-old male moped operator was critically injured Wednesday in a collision with a vehicle on Farrington Highway, 215 feet west of Lahilahi Street in Makaha.

The accident was reported at 5:59 p.m.

Police vehicular homicide Sgt. Alan Vegas said the man on a 1992 Honda moped was traveling east in the west-bound lane of Farrington Highway. As the moped tried to pass a 1992 Jeep Cherokee, the Cherokee turned left and the vehicles collided, Vegas said.

The injured man was taken in critical condition to The Queen's Medical Center.

The 17-year-old male driver of the Cherokee and his two passengers were not injured.