Newswatch

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Friday, September 4, 1998

Biplane crash-lands in Hilo; injuries minor

HILO -- A Waco biplane owned by Classic Aviation Corp. suffered $25,000 damage when it crash-landed at Hilo's airport yesterday, police said.

The plane was occupied by pilot Steve Kiefer and a couple from Spokane, Wash., whose names were not released.

The occupants, who suffered only minor injuries, were treated by airport crash and rescue personnel and released.

Classic Aviation, which offers air tours, is based in Kona, but it wasn't clear where yesterday's flight originated.

The 4:42 p.m. incident resulted in the airport's main runway being closed for an hour and 45 minutes, police said.

The initial cause of the accident was described as mechanical difficulties, but further details were being investigated.

City awaits proposals for Kailua sewer line

Proposals to replace a leaky 27-inch sewer line believed to have caused a sinkhole in Kailua were expected to come in today.

Part of the 900-foot line collapsed Aug. 24 near Hamakua Drive and Hahani Street. The flow in the line was quickly diverted to avoid any sewage spill.

Mayor Jeremy Harris said "trenchless technology" to minimize traffic disruption, noise and dust is under consideration.

The work is expected to be completed by December. Motorists are reminded that two of the existing four lanes on Hamakua Drive will remain closed.

Federal grants to fight drunken driving in isles

Vice President Al Gore has announced incentive grants to help Hawaii combat drunken driving.

Nearly $1 million in total, the grants are part of $700 million to states nationwide.

Hawaii logged 131 traffic deaths in 1997, with 59 people dying in crashes deemed alcohol-related.

Commission fails to OK Waimanalo liquor permit

An application for a 7-Eleven outlet to sell liquor across the street from Waimanalo Beach Park remains undecided as the Liquor Commission again deadlocked in a 2-2 vote on the matter.

The commission continued the agenda item until next Thursday. If the commission cannot come to a decision, the license will automatically be granted under Act 164 of the 1998 Legislature, said Wallace Weatherwax, liquor control administrator.

Attorneys told commissioners they have 15 days from last week's initial vote or until Sept. 11 to act and that no action will result in automatic approval of the application, Weatherwax said.

Four previous applications from the store have been refused by the commission.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

Admonition results in Zipper Lane altercation

The state's H-1 Zipper Lane was the site of an assault yesterday morning, police said.

Police said a 43-year-old Ewa Beach man was riding his motorcycle in the East-bound express lane at 6:40 a.m. when the occupants of the van in front of him tossed two cigarette butts out the window, one of which hit him.

As the motorcycle passed the van, the man yelled at the occupants to "watch their trash." Later, during a traffic backup, two men from the van got out and confronted to motorcyclist, and one hit the man in the face.

Police arrested an 18-year-old Waipahu man on possible charges of second-degree assault. He was released pending investigation.

Makaha man arrested for theft of TV, car

Police arrested a 22-year-old Makaha man yesterday after he allegedly stole a television set and a car from a West Loch Estates home.

Witnesses told police the suspect was outside a Makaaloa Street address acting suspiciously when he allegedly entered a garage and then drove a car away. Witnesses notified the car's owner, who checked his garage and found his TV and car were missing.

Two Waimanalo men face robbery charges

Two men were charged with second-degree robbery and kidnapping after they demanded money from a Sheridan Street game room on Tuesday.

Police said Sitala Togiai Jr., 24, and Angus Thompson Jr., 24, both of Waimanalo, were each charged yesterday with three counts of robbery and one count of kidnapping.

Bail for Togiai is set at $200,000. Thompson's bail is set at $100,000.

Police arrest suspect in 'road rage' situation

A traffic incident led to a 21-year-old man's arrest for criminal property damage in Kaneohe after the suspect allegedly chased and rammed his car into another car on Kahekili Highway.

Police say the suspect was apparently upset over a traffic incident with a 1990 Honda. When the victim's car stopped at a red light at the intersection of Likelike and Kahekili highways, the suspect allegedly rear-ended the victim with his 1980 Honda and then got out of his car to confront the victim, who was also 21.

The victim drove off and the suspect continued to pursue the victim's car, ramming it several times during the chase until police arrested the suspect at about 7:30 last night.

Police have description of Waianae bank robber

The FBI and Honolulu police are looking for a man who robbed Bank of Hawaii's Waianae branch.

The suspect presented a demand note to a teller shortly after noon yesterday and fled toward the Waianae Mall with an undisclosed amount of cash.

The man is described as in his late 30's, 5 feet 6 inches tall, with a mustache, about 190 pounds, brown eyes, brown, curly, neck-length hair, and a receding hairline. He was wearing a light colored T-shirt with orange print and denim shorts.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crimestoppers at 955-8300.

In other news . . .

WAILUKU -- A Maui fire rescue team searching for a missing Kahului man recovered diving equipment yesterday in about 50 feet of water at La Perouse Bay.

Assistant Fire Chief Clayton Ishikawa said authorities were checking if a weight belt, diving mask and a fin possibly belonged to the missing diver, whose truck was found in the vicinity Wednesday.

Ishikawa said that according to the diver's wife, the man went diving Tuesday and she called police at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday when he failed to return home.

A 28-year-old Waianae man faces charges of terroristic threatening after he allegedly threatened his 27-year-old wife with a hunting knife last night.

Police said a fisherman discovered a body in the water yesterday at Keehi Lagoon.

The man was fishing around noon when he saw an unknown object floating in the ocean.

As the object floated closer to the shoreline, the fisherman realized it was a body and called police.

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