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Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff and wire
Slight rise in Vegas virus cases reported
The Clark County Health District reported a slight increase in the rate of new cases of Norwalk virus in Las Vegas.Ten complaints were reported between April 24 and 30 compared with six complaints between April 17 and 23, spokesman David Tonelli said. Six people also reported suffering from the virus between April 10 and 16.
"It could be just an anomaly. There's no way to tell," Tonelli said.
A total of 1,668 cases were reported between Dec. 3 and Monday. Those who reported contracting the illness visited or stayed at the California Hotel & Casino in downtown Las Vegas, a popular spot for visitors from Hawaii.
Symptoms of the Norwalk virus include acute vomiting or diarrhea for up to three days.
Health officials will consider the outbreak over when they see a sustained decline to four complaints a week over a one-month period.
Businessman honored by Saint Louis School
Stanley W. Hong, the former president of the Hawaii Visitors Bureau and the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, was chosen as Saint Louis School's Alumnus of the Year last month.Hong's father, the late Dr. Gilbert S.N. Hong, received the same award in 1993, making the pair the first father and son to win the honor.
Stanley Hong, who graduated from Saint Louis in 1954, is the president of Waste Management of Hawaii Inc.
Free event offers asthma information
Residents interested in learning more about asthma are invited to a free Asthma Screening Day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Windward Mall.Kaiser Permanente is presenting the event with the Windward Oahu Asthma Coalition in recognition of World Asthma Day tomorrow. Dr. Matthew Lau, Kaiser Honolulu Clinic allergist, will speak at 1:30 p.m., followed by a question-and-answer session.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffLEEWARD OAHU
Honolulu Police Sgt. Alan Vegas investigated the scene on the H-1 freeway before the Waikele offramp where a fatal car crash yesterday forced the Ewa-bound lanes to be closed.
Waipahu man dies after car veers off H-1
A 50-year-old Waipahu man was killed yesterday morning after his car veered off the westbound lanes of the H-1 freeway near the merge with the H-2 freeway and crashed in a ditch near Waikele.Police said the man was driving westbound just past the Waipahu Street overpass at about 9:45 a.m. when his silver 1987 two-door Chevrolet Monte Carlo went off the roadway, perhaps after hitting a concrete barrier, police said.
The car struck a metal sign on the shoulder and landed in a runoff ditch. The victim, the sole occupant of the car, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
Police are awaiting the results of an autopsy, said Sgt. Alan Vegas of the police Vehicular Homicide Section.
Police located the car, which was under thick brush and off the roadway, with the help of a witness.
Police said speeding may have been a factor. The driver was wearing his seat belt, but the car was not equipped with air bags.
Police shut down four lanes of the freeway initially and reopened two lanes at 12:10 p.m. The freeway was fully reopened at 2:20 p.m.
It was Oahu's 26th traffic fatality this year compared to 31 last year at the same time.
WAIKIKI
Man allegedly cuts off wife's hair during fight
Police arrested a 32-year-old Waikiki man Monday after he allegedly forced his wife onto the floor and cut off some of her hair.The couple got into an argument at their Waikiki home about 2:40 a.m., police said. During the argument, the man took a kitchen knife and forced his wife to lie on the floor, police said.
The man straddled the woman from behind and cut her hair, police said. The woman suffered injuries to her back and arm, police said.
Police found the suspect sleeping in his car and arrested him for first-degree terroristic threatening and abuse of a household member.
EAST OAHU
Japanese tourist dies at Hanauma Bay
A 56-year-old Japanese tourist died after being pulled from the water at Hanauma Bay on Monday afternoon.The Medical Examiner's Office identified the victim as Masanori Yuzuki. Police said the man was found about 20 yards offshore. He had been snorkeling alone and police were told he was an experienced swimmer and diver. There were no apparent signs of foul play, police said.
HONOLULU
H-3 shut down after chemical spill
Police shut down the H-3 freeway in Halawa yesterday afternoon after four one-gallon bottles of hydrochloric acid were found on the side of the roadway shortly before 2 p.m.Fire Capt. Kenison Tejada said two of the bottles leaked about a gallon and a half of the acid, commonly used for cleaning pools and for descaling pipes.
A Honolulu Fire Department's hazardous materials team neutralized the hydrochloric acid, Tejada said.
Police reopened all lanes of the freeway just after 4 p.m.
Man sought for probation revocation
Honolulu police are looking for Edward Lopez, 35, who is wanted for probation revocation for prior felony drug convictions.
Police said Lopez is known to frequent Chinatown, Whitmore Village, and Wahiawa. Lopez is 6 foot 2 inches tall, weighs about 215 pounds, has black hair, brown eyes and has several tattoos, including one of boxing gloves on his right shoulder, the name "eric" on his left wrist, and "Dee" and "Peggy" on his left shoulder along with two hearts and a ribbon.
Calls may be made to CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 and by dialing *CRIME on a cellular phone.
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[THE COURTS]Man indicted in death of Kapahulu woman
An Oahu grand jury has indicted a 48-year-old man in the slaying of a Kapahulu woman whose body was found wrapped in a blanket and tarp and dumped near an Ewa farm.Ronald J. Howe was charged yesterday with second-degree murder in the April 22 death of Robyn Mae Nakaji, 46.
Circuit Judge Richard Perkins confirmed bail for Howe yesterday at $1 million. Howe, who has no local address, remains in custody unable to post bail. He is unemployed and has 33 prior arrests and 12 felony convictions for burglary, forgery, firearms offenses and car theft. He also has seven arrests and one conviction for failing to show up for court.
According to prosecutors, Howe confessed to killing Nakaji in a dispute over drugs. He confessed to beating her then cutting her throat sometime later after realizing she was still alive. He dumped her body in Ewa.
Employees at an Ewa goat farm discovered a wrapped bundle at the farm's front gate April 23. Believing it was trash, they were planning to burn it when they spotted Nakaji's feet.
Former postal clerk gets 8 months in jail
A former postal clerk was sentenced Monday to eight months in federal prison for obstructing mail delivery and stealing mail -- a majority of which belonged to active duty military personnel aboard submarines stationed at Pearl Harbor.U.S. District Judge David Ezra also ordered Karson Kuewa, 34, of Haleiwa, to perform 500 hours of community service by cleaning and maintaining the grounds of public areas at post offices on Oahu.
Kuewa, who was a civilian mail clerk at the Pearl Harbor Mail Center, admitted that he stole mail on 15 to 20 occasions, two to three times a week between November 2001 and February 2002. Included in the correspondence were cash, CDs and DVDs.
A person discovered more than 150 pieces of mail addressed to Navy personnel in a dumpster at Haleiwa Harbor and returned them to the post office. Kuewa's fingerprints were found on the opened mail.
In imposing sentence, Ezra noted the mail was stolen during the Christmas holidays.
Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
