Newswatch

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Tuesday, May 13, 1997

Isle inmates kept workers
safe in Texas prison brawl

State Public Safety Director Keith Kaneshiro and the warden of a privately run Texas prison say Hawaii inmates were not responsible for a prison brawl between isle and Montana prisoners over the weekend.

And during the melee, which began with an argument, isle inmates, led by Norman Santiago, Steven Simpson and John Kalamau, formed a protective ring around three prison volunteers and led them to safety, said Kaneshiro and Marshall Hutchins, assistant warden of the Dickens County Correctional Facility, about 60 miles east of Lubbock, Texas.

They will be receiving letters of commendation. "We were informed that our inmates were not to blame for this incident," Kaneshiro said yesterday.

Hutchins added: "The argument was caused by the Montana inmates' perception that Hawaii inmates are treated better. They have the better jobs, and are often praised by the community for the work they do."

City ambulances can change
traffic lights from red to green

City paramedics say the seven new ambulances just purchased by the city will make it safer for them and motorists.

That's because each of the ambulances have traffic signal controllers that allow the medical technicians to change most of the island's 300 signals from red to green and vice versa.

"We won't need to be going through red-light intersections," said Patty Dukes, superintendent at the Wahiawa station.

The ambulances will have access to the city's optical communications system through optical emitters.

A high-intensity coded signal can be sent from an emitter to cycle traffic signals from red to green at the approach of an emergency vehicle.

The signals can be triggered from half a mile away.

The seven vehicles will replace seven older models that will become disaster-ready vehicles. The city has 24 ambulances total - 16 for each of the ambulance stations and eight for relief and standby status.

The new vehicles cost $95,292 each. They weigh 11,500 pounds, fully loaded.

Neighbor arrested
in King killing

A 20-year-old Palolo neighbor has been charged with murder in connection with the beating death of local jazz musician Francis Coolidge King.

Sauileao Mamea Jr., charged last night in the April 25 death, reportedly confessed killing his next-door neighbor, police said. Mamea was expected to be arraigned today in District Court.

His bail was set at $100,000 on a second-degree murder charge and an additional $50,000 on one count of first-degree robbery.

Mamea was arrested Sunday in the slaying of King, 72, an alarm installer.

Police said Mamea admitted beating King to death after an argument over $50 he was owed turned violent. King died of severe head injuries.

See expanded coverage in today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
See our [Info] section for subscription information.

---

Police/Fire


By Star-Bulletin staff

Japanese traveler held
after fight aboard plane

A Japanese national was arrested after allegedly assaulting a fellow passenger who made comments about his drinking habits during a flight from Osaka, Japan, to Honolulu, authorities said.

Shigeyoshi Tsuchihashi was arrested after he reportedly kicked, punched and head-butted the passenger while aboard a Northwest Airlines flight Sunday, said John Schiman, special agent in charge of the FBI Honolulu office.

A criminal complaint filed in federal court yesterday alleges that Tsuchihashi became angry after the victim commented on his alcohol consumption. Tsuchihashi then attacked the passenger.

He was finally restrained by airline personnel.

Tsuchihashi, 43, was charged with one count of assault and faces six months in prison.

Other Police/Fire headlines
in today’s Star-Bulletin:

• Robbers take cash from take-out window
  
• Police, FBI thwart bank extortion plot
  
• Pahoa girl missing since April 15

See expanded coverage in today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
See our [Info] section for subscription information.