Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.
Lane and ramp closures of the H-1 Freeway tonight include the right west-bound lane at the Lunalilo-Vineyard off-ramp from 9 p.m. to midnight for concrete work, and the Vineyard on-ramp to H-1 east-bound from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. for barrier work and restriping. H-1 lane, ramp
closures tonightMotorists are advised to allow for extra travel time and use caution, or take an alternative route.
Cops seek white Taurus involved in hit-and-run
Police are looking for a white 1994 Ford Taurus sedan involved in a hit-and-run collision that injured three people yesterday and closed Kamehameha Highway near Kualoa Ranch for several hours.Police said the license number of the vehicle, which was not reported stolen, is FWB 390. Witnesses said the car rear-ended a pickup truck with four occupants at about 6:20 a.m. Two Laie men, ages 34 and 36, who were in the front seat of the pickup, got out of the truck to talk with the car's driver.
The car's driver, however, attempted to drive off.
The older man reached in the driver's side window for the car's keys and was dragged several feet. The car also struck the younger man, police said.
The 34-year-old man and his son, 16, suffered chest and head injuries and are at Queen's Medical Center in fair condition. The 36-year-old man suffered minor injuries.
Fire Dept. to mark 150th anniversary
More than 200 retired firefighters have been invited to attend the Honolulu Fire Department's 150th anniversary celebration tomorrow at the Charles H. Thurston Training Center at 890 Valkenburgh St.The celebration will include demonstrations and displays. Activities begin at 9:30 a.m. and are open to the public.
The department will unveil a new commemorative uniform shoulder patch.
Designed by Kailua firefighter Eric Morgado, the patch features a maile lei around a 19th-century horse-drawn pumper and modern-day pumper, a crown and Honolulu County coat of arms, and 30 service stars.
Busy Blaisdell likely to cause parking woes
A heavy schedule at Blaisdell Center this weekend will overtax available parking there, and those attending the events are advised to arrive early or seek alternate parking.Events include the Kamehameha Schools Christmas Concert, a Honolulu Symphony performance, Holiday Gift Fair, Sample Sale, World Wide Dreambuilders and Hawaii Pacific University basketball.
All nearby parking lots will be open this weekend.
Artifact claimants must unite, says museum
At last night's monthly meeting of the Forbes Cave artifact claimants group at Bishop Museum, museum representatives informed the eight claimants there that recovery of the missing artifacts is a decision that must be made by all the claimants together, not a majority.The claimants then asked the museum to leave the meeting, after which they decided to set an agenda and meet again after the holidays, a participant said.
Noise from airport louder next week
Aircraft noise will be greater than usual tonight and Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights next week, the state says.Because of night-time runway closures for restriping and other work at Honolulu Airport from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., aircraft will use different runways than usual.
Tomorrow
Some events of interest5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Ilima Court rooftop of the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center: "Taste of Waikiki," to benefit Lokahi Tree giving project.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
Woman, 84, dies 2 days after being hit by car
An elderly woman died yesterday from injuries received when she was struck by a car two days ago at Kapahulu and Kanaina avenues.The medical examiner's office identified the woman as Margaret Fung, 84, of nearby Winam Avenue.
Fung was crossing Kapahulu from east to west in a marked crosswalk at about 5 a.m. Tuesday when she was hit by a south-bound vehicle driven by a 46-year-old Waikiki man, police said.
She was pronounced dead at 2:20 p.m. yesterday in Queen's Medical Center.
Her death was the 62nd traffic fatality this year on Oahu, compared to 46 at the same time last year. Pedestrians have accounted for 20 of the 62 deaths.
Massage parlor raided, 3 arrested for prostitution
Three women were arrested for prostitution in a raid last night on a massage business at 1350 S. King St.Police, state regulatory agency and federal immigration officers raided Fujis Sauna at 9:40 p.m. after undercover investigators were allegedly offered sex for money.
Phuong Ann Le, 43; Lai Wan Ng, 43; and Thu Thi Anh Nguyen, 37, were charged with prostitution.
Le and Ng were released at 1:05 a.m. after posting $975 and $500 bail, respectively. They are scheduled to appear at District Court on Tuesday.
Nguyen was scheduled to appear before a District judge today.
Li Ying Guo, 41, was charged with operating an illegal and unlicensed massage business. She was released after posting $150 bail and will appear in court on Tuesday.
State Hospital escapee caught at Kapiolani Park
An officer checking Kapiolani park for illegal camping activities recaptured a Hawaii State Hospital escapee at 3:25 a.m. today .Thomas Kapoi, 55, was reported as an escapee on Oct. 7.
The Courts
Convicted sex offender's assault charge upheld
A state judge has reinstated an attempted first-degree sexual assault charge against a convicted sexual offender.Gilbert Martines, 51, is expected to go to trial the first week of January.
Attempted first-degree sexual assault is punishable by 20 years imprisonment. Martines also is charged with second-degree promotion of child abuse, punishable by a five-year term.
Martines is accused of attempting to perform oral sex on a 12-year-old boy in April 1999 and for possessing child pornography.
Circuit Judge Reynaldo Graulty in October dismissed the attempted first-degree sexual assault charge, saying Martines' conduct fell short of taking a substantial step in committing the offense.
Yesterday, Graulty found that the grand jury had sufficient probable cause to indict Martines on the attempted sexual assault charge.
Martines was convicted in 1982 of second-degree sodomy and first-degree sex abuse involving a 12-year-old and 15-year-old boy.
20-year term for assault in botched Wahiawa robbery
A man convicted of attempted first-degree assault for shooting a woman and second-degree assault for assaulting her husband during a botched robbery at a Wahiawa convenience store in January 1999 has received a 20-year prison term.Circuit Judge Dexter Del Rosario yesterday also ordered Tomas Quirantes, 21, to serve a five-year term for an unrelated auto theft and a 10-year term for an unrelated robbery, terms to be served concurrently, but consecutive to the 20-year term.
He also ordered Quirantes to serve a mandatory minimum of 15 years for using a firearm during the robbery.
Deputy prosecutor Martin Romualdez said the sentence was appropriate for what Quirantes was ultimately convicted of, but the state was dissatisfied with the verdict.
The jury rejected the state's argument that Quirantes intended to murder Pok Cha Fithian and her husband, Paul, and convicted him of the lesser offense of attempted assault, sparing him a life term with parole.
Deputy public defender Ed Harada could not be reached for immediate comment.
