Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.
Bicyclist found dead on Haleakala Highway
WAILUKU -- Maui police detectives are investigating the death of a man who apparently was riding a bicycle on the north side of Haleakala Highway near Haliimaile junction early this morning.The man, in his 20s, was found dead and bleeding near a bicycle by police officers responding to an anonymous call at 3:38 a.m., Police Sgt. Victor Ramos said.
Ramos said the male caller told police there was a man sleeping on the side of the road near a bicycle. An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death, including whether the man was hit by a vehicle, Ramos said.
Ramos said the dead man, who carried no identification, was about 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighed from 180 to 200 pounds.
The man was wearing shorts, a white t-shirt, and slippers.
Coast Guard vessel will arrive Friday
A new ship for Hawaii's Coast Guard contingent is expected to arrive at Pearl Harbor Friday.Its commissioning will be June 30.
The 87-foot Kittiwake, named after an oceanic gull, left San Diego last week. It is getting a "piggy-back ride" to Pearl Harbor on the flight deck of the USS Essex, a Navy amphibious assault ship.
Eventual home port for the Kittiwake will be Nawiliwili Harbor, Kauai.
It will replace the recently decommissioned Coast Guard Cutter Pt. Evans, an 82-foot patrol boat that was transferred to the Philippine Navy in December.
With a top speed of 26 knots, the Kittiwake is 8 knots faster than the Point Evans.
In addition, its modern hull design can withstand heavier seas, according to the Coast Guard.
Dillingham Airfield will be open
Dillingham Airfield will be open to civil air operations from Monday through June 16.The State Department of Transportation originally said the airfield would be closed for military exercises. The exercises have been scaled down to refueling and rearming helicopters.
Parachutists using the field should enter from the ocean side only and restrict their approach to the drop zone.
Brockovich, Masry will speak at dinner
Legal assistant Erin Brockovich, made famous by the Julia Roberts film of the same name, and her boss, attorney Edward Masry, will speak at a dinner Saturday.The 2000 Celebration of Justice Dinner is being hosted by the Consumer Lawyers of Hawaii.
The movie tells the story of how Brockovich assists Masry in settling a water contamination case against Pacific Gas & Electric for $333 million.
Masry's Los Angeles firm, Masry & Vititoe, is working with a local firm on a water contamination suit in Central Oahu.
For information: 528-4000.
Vegas group charging islanders for free info
HILO -- Big Island police are advising the public that a Nevada group is charging for information which the state provides for free."Asset Recovery," with a Las Vegas address, is mailing cards to residents saying the group will find out if the state owes them money if they will send $10.
The same information can be obtained for free by calling (808) 586-1589, police said.
HCC awards Bourassa gift for auto-tech contributions
Donald J. Bourassa, Honolulu Community College's dean of planning, information and development, received the Willard Wilson Award for distinguished service to the University of Hawaii and a $1,000 award.Bourassa brought the community college's automotive and auto body technology program into certification by the National Automotive Technician Education Foundation Group, the college certification division of the Automotive Service Excellence, which certifies mechanics for competency.
The UH alumnus has worked at HCC since 1973 in various capacities, teaching physics, and serving as assistant dean for 11 years and acting dean of instruction for two years.
Bourassa also managed the development of Cisco Academy, a partnership between the state Department of Education and Honolulu Community College. He upgraded the college's status to become a training center that serves high schools, UH Manoa, Hickam and Fort Shafter military bases, Taiwan and Japan.
In The Courts
Man pleads guilty in slaying of transvestite
A homeless man charged with murder in the stabbing death of a transvestite over a year ago was sentenced yesterday to a mandatory 20 years imprisonment after pleading guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.Under a plea agreement, however, Mark Tynes will be allowed to seek parole after serving 13 years behind bars, said his attorney, deputy public defender William Bagasol, who called the sentence "fair."
"He'll still be doing a lot of time."
Tynes was accused of stabbing Harry Bryant, aka Natasha, to death in a drug-related dispute in Chinatown in March 1999.
Man gets 20 years on kidnapping charge
A man convicted of dragging a police officer during a chase was sentenced to a mandatory 20-year term on a kidnapping charge.But it'll be up to the Hawaii Paroling Authority to decide how long Jose Valdivia will actually serve.
Judge Virginia Crandall also sentenced Valdivia yesterday to terms ranging from one year to five years on six other counts, including terroristic threatening, assaulting a police officer and reckless driving stemming from the chase last November.
Those terms will be served concurrently, as sought by his attorney, deputy public defender Ronette Kawakami.
Valdivia, through an interpreter, apologized yesterday for his actions and said he had no prior intent to do what he did.
Valdivia led police on a 40-minute chase from Fort DeRussy to Kaimuki. After he was stopped in Waikiki, he held on to a police officer's arm and drove about two car lengths before the officer was freed, according to deputy prosecutor Victor Bakke.
Officer Brad Heatherly suffered numerous cuts, a strained back and road burns on his uniform from the incident.
Corrections
Sumo superstar Konishiki achieved the rank of ozeki before his retirement. A review of his new CD in the Today section and an A-1 promo yesterday said incorrectly that he had been a yokozuna.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
Cedar Street fire inflicts heavy damage on home
Fire heavily damaged a two-story, single-family wood-frame home yesterday at 746 Cedar St.A girl about age 12 was home alone at the time of the 10:50 a.m. alarm. She escaped unhurt.
Flames were reported under control at 11 a.m. The cause remains under investigation. Damage was set at $215,000..
Sailor sought in robbery at Waikiki apartment
Police and Navy investigators are searching for a 24-year-old Pearl Harbor sailor who is wanted forquestioning in connection with the May 28 robbery of a woman at her Waikiki apartment last week.
Christopher Choate also is absent without leave from the Navy, police said.
A man, who identified himself as a delivery man, forced his way into a 69-year-old woman's Wailana condominium, tied her up and robbed her of $15,000 worth of cash and jewelry, police said.
Choate may be with his wife Junko "Tia" Faumuina, 24, police said. They are known to frequent the Salt Lake area and may be driving a blue, four-door Nissan Sentra with license plate JDU-269. Choate is described as 5-feet-9, 160 pounds with a medium build. He has brown hair and eyes. He often wears a baseball cap, T-shirt and jeans.
If anyone has information about his whereabouts, call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300.
North Kohala woman killed in 2-car collision
Bonnie Lee Wahl, 54, of North Kohala was killed yesterday in a two-car collision in North Kona, Hawaii.She was a passenger in a car driven by her husband, Manfred Wahl, 62, when it was struck by a vehicle driven by George Lopes III, 23, of South Hilo. Big Island police said the Lopes car crossed the center line and struck Wahl's car at 3:15 p.m.
Manfred Wahl and Lopes were hospitalized, and both were reported in serious condition this morning.Witnesses told investigators they saw Lopes' vehicle weaving in traffic immediately before the accident, police said.
Kaimuki man charged in attack on his mother
Police arrested and charged a 21-year-old Kaimuki man for attacking his mother with a wooden stool.Geronimo K. Hanohano was arguing with his mother, 45, at their 12th Avenue home yesterday when he grabbed a stool and hit her on the head and shoulder, breaking the stool, police said. His mother locked herself in the bathroom and Hanohano threatened her with a knife, police said. Hanohano's father called police.
3 suspects sought in sex assault at Waikiki hotel
Police are investigating an apparent sexual assault of a woman by three men at a Waikiki hotel room.The woman, 25, reported she was sleeping in her room when she was assaulted at 2:30 a.m.
Coast Guard tries to get handle on leaking fuel
The Coast Guard is trying to remove 6,000 gallons of diesel fuel from a long-line fishing boat that ran aground in a marine sanctuary that is a breeding ground for the endangered Hawaiian monk seal.The Swordman I, an 85-foot U.S.-flagged vessel, ran aground at 7:38 a.m. yesterday at Pearl and Hermes Atoll, 90 miles southeast of Midway Island.
The five people on board were uninjured.
