Man who blew up bombs at UH jailed for drugs
A man who was on parole for detonating a pipe bomb in a University of Hawaii parking garage in 1993 was sentenced this morning for recent drug and attempted theft charges.Troy Hamada pleaded guilty to the charges and will serve a minimum of 1.2 years of a five-year term, said Al Nishimura, deputy public defender.
He said the state agreed to reduce the usual minimum from 1.8 years for Hamada.
Hamada was on parole from a 10-year sentence for violating the terms of his sentence for the pipe-bomb incident.
Hamada had been sentenced to five years of probation for the pipe-bomb incident but violated it in 1995 by smoking crystal methamphetamine. He was resentenced to 10 years, and later released on parole.
Nishimura said Hamada possessed less than 10 grams of crystal methamphetamine and tried to siphon gasoline from a vehicle Jan. 30. He also said Hamada was doing well in construction work but didn't have the help of a drug treatment program.
In the pipe-bomb incident, Hamada pleaded guilty to six firearms and drug charges and admitted to exploding other pipe bombs in the Manoa area. He served a year in prison.
IRS will stay up late with taxpayers April 15
If you are waiting until the last minute to do your taxes, the Internal Revenue Service will be staying up late with you on April 15.The Honolulu office at the federal building will be open until midnight on tax deadline day.
Taxpayers can pick up forms, get answers to last-minute tax questions, and file and make tax payments.
On the neighbor islands, the Hilo office will extend its hours until 8 p.m. on April 14 and 15 and the Maui office will be open until 6 p.m. on those days.
See expanded coverage in today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
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Police/Fire
By Star-Bulletin staffStudent charged after using counterfeit $20
Police yesterday arrested a Pearl City High School student for allegedly presenting counterfeit money.The girl, 16, bought a ticket for the junior prom with a fake $20 bill, police said.
She was booked for first-degree forgery and released pending further investigation.
Big Isle police hunt rock-tossing youths
HILO -- Police are looking for a group of boys who broke a Pepeekeo woman's car window after she shouted at them to stop throwing rocks at passing cars.
Police said the woman heard loud laughing outside her house north of Hilo about 10:30 p.m. Saturday and saw five or six boys hiding in bushes along Hawaii Belt Road.
When the woman returned to her house after shouting at the boys, she heard something hit her roof.
Outside, she found her windshield cracked, police said.
Emphasizing the seriousness of the case, police noted that Darlene Martin, 47, of Volcano, was killed in 1996 by a rock thrown through her car window as she drove through Mountain View, south of Hilo.
Anyone with information on the latest incident is asked to call police at 961-2311 or CrimeStoppers at 961-8300.
Driver checkpoints coming this weekend
Drinking driver checkpoints go up this week for the coming Easter weekend.Roadblocks will be at unannounced times and places Thursday through Sunday.
Police say so far this year, 13 deaths have occurred in 13 Oahu traffic accidents, compared with 20 deaths in 18 accidents at this time last year.
At least 42 percent (five out of 12) of this year's traffic fatalities have been alcohol-related, compared with 39 percent (seven out of 18) last year.
Yesterday's fatal accident on Halawa Valley Road is still under investigation.
Police said alcohol may have be a contributing factor.
Hawaii police make arrests in drug raids
HONAUNAU, Hawaii -- Police arrested two men and a woman in raids at two houses in Honaunau yesterday, they said.At the first house police found 201 marijuana plants, small amounts of dried marijuana and its seeds, and pots for growing it.
At the second house, they found a white residue believed to be cocaine or crack on spoons and a pipe.
The suspects were released pending investigation.
Red Cross aids couple from torched house
A Mililani couple received Red Cross help yesterday after their home sustained fire and water damage from a fire evidently set by a burglar at the 95-328 Hakupokano Loop residence.Police found evidence a fire was started after the home was forcibly entered and searched, a detective said.
The victims were provided temporary housing and vouchers for clothing and personal hygiene items.
Additional assistance will be given as needs are identified, the Red Cross said.
The Fire Department set damage estimates at $40,000 to the structure, $20,000 to contents.
The fire was reported at 7:30 a.m. at the home owned and occupied by Kenneth Nagata and his wife.
No one was injured.
Two engines and one ladder truck had the flames under control at 7:38 a.m. and extinguished at 8:08 a.m.
To help the Red Cross with this and other mishaps, make gifts payable to: American Red Cross, 4155 Diamond Head Road, Honolulu 96816, telephone 739-8109.
by,STAFT
GEORGE F. LEE
Members of HPD's Specialized Services Division and police negotiators gather at the rear of 66 Kihapai St. during last night's standoff. The officers eventually forced open a barricaded apartment door.
Kailua man threatens neighbor with weapon
A feud between Kailua neighbors over a cable-television hookup that had continued for days led to a nine-hour standoff with police last night.A 35-year-old suspect was arrested about 10:20 p.m. He remained in police custody today after he went first by ambulance to Castle Hospital for examination.
Police said the dispute started Friday and reached a climax yesterday when the suspect broke into the apartment of his wheelchair-bound neighbor and threatened him with either a small sword or large knife.
The victim was not injured.
The suspect then locked himself in his apartment at 66 Kihapai St. and refused to come out.
Patrol officers responded about 1:30 p.m., and a SWAT team was called in later.
Maj. John Kerr of the Specialized Services Division said officers had to force open the barricaded apartment door.
Other residents of the building were kept waiting to return home, but residents of nearby buildings were not kept out.
There were four contempt of court warrants out for the suspect, who had 14 prior arrests, all for misdemeanors for such things as property damage, theft, harassment and contempt, Kerr said.
Detectives were considering charges of burglary for breaking into the neighbor's apartment and terroristic threatening for threatening the victim with the knife, he said.
Two years ago, when Hanauma Bay turned off the water and attempted to stay open, elderly women bullied their way through the park staff and into the closed restrooms. Hanauma Bay crowd forced to leave park
By Jaymes Song, Star-BulletinOther people just relieved themselves in the fish-laden waters.
It was a lesson learned for park officials.
"It was the first and only time," said park manager Alan Hong. "Little old ladies were literally elbowing their way into the restrooms.
"I guess when you gotta go, you gotta go. There's no way you're going to stop them."
Yesterday, the park was closed following a water main break near the bus parking lot at about 10 a.m.
About 500 patrons were escorted out of the park yesterday when the break was discovered, said park officials. Everyone was refunded their admission and parking fees.
Board of Water Supply crews were expected to have the 8-inch main repaired sometime during the night.
Hanauma Bay officials planned to have the park open this morning for regular business.
Water officials reported that no waste water was spilled.
The water is used for drinking, concessions and restrooms.
Firefighter faces jail, fine in fishing case
One of two men accused of using chlorine to catch fish off East Honolulu shores pleaded no contest this morning to the misdemeanor charge.Donald Watanabe, a Honolulu Fire Department captain for six years, pleaded to unlawfully possessing an illegal substance. State fishing rules ban the possession or use of a poisonous substance to take aquatic life.
He faces a fine of up to $1,000 and a jail term of up to one year when sentenced June 2 before District Judge I. Norman Lewis.
"We will ask for the maximum," said Deputy Prosecutor Katherine Puana Kealoha, adding that the state is aiming to protect natural resources.
Larry Carter, Watanabe's attorney, could not be reached for comment.
Officials in January arrested Watanabe and Henry Rosa about 50 yards offshore of Kapaliokamoa Point between Queen's Beach and the Makapuu Point lighthouse and recovered about 100 pounds of fish.
Rosa is scheduled for a nonjury trial June 1, but may change his plea if he and the state agree on forfeiture issues, Kealoha said. Rosa is the primary owner of the fishing equipment, including an 18-foot open motor boat and diving gear.
Mike Wilson, state Land and Natural Resources director, said the use of chlorine to kill fish has gone on for years, but agents have a hard time catching offenders. The chemical damages coral reefs and depletes fishing stocks.
Wilson said a caller tipped off state enforcement agents, who caught Watanabe and Rosa with plastic bags of chlorine. He said the illegal operation involves placing a bag of chlorine in a reef, poking a hole in it with a spear and catching fish in nets as they flee.
Navy names new leader of Pacific submarines
Rear Adm. Al Konetzni, currently commander of the Navy's Submarine Group Seven in Atsugi, Japan, will assume command of the Pacific Fleet's submarine force on May 8. He will replace Rear Adm. Jerry Ellis.
State awards contract for Kauai road work
Kauai is in line for $912,651 of road work under a contract awarded to Doreen L. Sanchez-Rego Contractor Inc., the state Transportation Department said.Guardrail and shoulder improvements will be done at various locations on Rice Street, Kuhio Highway and Kuamoo Road.
The work, expected to begin by July, also includes pavement markings and signs.
Hawaii wins $203,767 to monitor air quality
The state Health Department has been awarded $203,767 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to develop an air quality monitoring network.Rep. Patsy Mink said the grant is an important step toward protection of public health.
A network will be established in all states to monitor particulate matter in the air at 1,500 sites, according to a new National Ambient Air Quality Standard.
Drug addict sentenced to 33 months in prison on weapons charges
A federal judge yesterday sentenced a Kauai man addicted to heroin to 33 months in prison on charges of being a drug user in possession of a firearm and unregistered silencer.Byron Say, 28, of Hanalei was arrested July 3, 1997.
U.S. District Judge Helen Gillmor said she was concerned that Say had been addicted to heroin for 10 years and been involved with guns.
She warned him against returning to drugs or ever carrying a gun again.
Friends and family submitted letters on Say's behalf.
But the judge chastised them for not holding Say accountable for his many years of drug addiction.
Robber who suffered injury gets 11 years
An injured bank robbery suspect who evaded FBI agents last year by walking out of a hospital will serve 11 years in federal prison for three bank robberies, including the one he committed just before he was injured.U.S. District Judge Alan Kay sentenced Wallace Silva, 44, to the term and also ordered him to pay $6,097 in restitution.
Silva previously pleaded guilty to robbing Bank of Hawaii on May 29, Bank of Hawaii on June 18 and Bank of Honolulu on June 23. He faced a sentencing range of 100 to 125 months or about 81/3 to 101/2 years.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Johnson said Silva committed six robberies, but the government agreed to drop charges involving three. But Johnson also said Silva agreed to repay all the banks he robbed.
Federal public defender Peter Wolff said Silva committed the robberies because he was addicted to crack cocaine.
He said Silva's decision to make restitution to all the banks showed he was taking responsibility for his actions.
Kay ordered 1,000 hours of drug treatment and added: "I hope that helps you overcome your addiction."
Silva was in FBI custody in Queen's Hospital May 29 after a car hit his bicycle as he allegedly fled a robbery at Bank of Hawaii's Discovery Bay branch.
Queen's doctors said Silva needed to be confined for several weeks for a collapsed lung, but he walked out the next day.
FBI agents recaptured him at his girlfriend's home at Mayor Wright Housing June 24 after another bank robbery.
Officials say Silva evaded arrest after bank robberies by fleeing on a bicycle, hailing a taxi or catching a bus.
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