Honolulu Star-Bulletin News /2005/02/16/

AT LEAST THE MAILBOX IS STILL OK

BARRY MARKOWITZ / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-BULLETIN
A tow truck driver prepared to remove a rental car that ran into the back side of a home on Kamehameha Highway across from Kualoa Ranch yesterday. The occupants of the vehicle refused medical treatment from city emergency personnel.

Fixes to sewer main due to wrap up today

City officials said last night they expected repairs to a broken sewer main in Niu Valley to have been completed by 3 a.m. today in time to open all lanes for the morning rush hour.

City crews suspended repair work from 3 to 7:30 p.m. yesterday to minimize disruption to rush-hour traffic on Kalanianaole Highway.

The break forced police to redirect traffic Monday and caused major traffic tie-ups.

Yesterday, Hawaii Kai-bound traffic was diverted onto the town-bound lanes between West Halemaumau and East Halemaumau streets, while town-bound traffic was detoured through Niu Valley.

The breaks in the 16-inch force main was reported at 3 p.m. about 75 yards from the Niu Valley Wastewater Pumping Station, 5712 Kalanianaole Highway.

Gov ends flag tribute to troops killed in war

Gov. Linda Lingle ordered flags at state and county buildings returned to full-staff yesterday.

Last month, Lingle ordered the flags flown at half-staff to honor 26 Hawaii-based Marines and a Pearl Harbor sailor killed Jan. 26 in a helicopter crash in Iraq. Flying the flags at half-staff also honored all military personnel with Hawaii ties who have lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan.

A funeral service for the last of the 27 service members was held yesterday as Navy hospital corpsman John Daniel House was laid to rest in Simi Valley, Calif.

2 fishermen penalized after dead turtle found

State wildlife conservation officers confiscated the boat and fishing equipment of two Kahaluu men last week after finding a dead green sea turtle in fishing net the men had left in the water longer than allowed by law. The men also face several misdemeanor fishing and boating charges in connection with the incident.

Department of Land and Natural Resources enforcement officers responded to a complaint that someone left a gill net in the ocean fronting Kualoa Beach for longer than the four-hour legal limit.

The men were cited for failure to inspect a gill net for more than two hours and failure to remove the net after four hours. These petty misdemeanors are punishable by a fine of up to $1,000.

Police, Fire, Courts

By Star-Bulletin staff

WINDWARD OAHU

4 teens allegedly set fire on city bus

Police arrested four teens for setting a fire on a city bus with 20 to 30 passengers on board yesterday afternoon.

The incident happened at 2:15 p.m. at Kamehameha Highway and Pua Inia Street, police said. The youths allegedly set the bus on fire using rubber cement, police said, adding that the fire was small and the teens put it out themselves.

Police said three boys and a girl were arrested on suspicion of second-degree property damage. Three of the suspects were Castle High School students and one was from Olomana School.

The fire caused damage to the floor, police said. No damage estimate was available yesterday.

WAIKIKI

Stabbing suspect claims rape attempt

Police arrested an 18-year-old man for allegedly stabbing two men near Waikiki early yesterday. The suspect contended he was defending his girlfriend from being raped, police said.

Police responded to a call about an argument near Kapiolani Boulevard and Kalakaua Avenue about 2 a.m. Officers found the stabbing suspect and his girlfriend, 19. Both had bruises to their faces, police said. Officers also found a knife.

The suspect told the officers that he had to defend his girlfriend from three men, two of them 21 and the other 22, who were trying to rape her.

Meanwhile, two men showed up at St. Francis Medical Center with stab wounds. They told police they came upon the couple as they were arguing and that the man and his girlfriend attacked them.

One stabbing victim suffered a life-threatening wound, but was in stable condition, according to police. The other man suffered a stab wound to his thigh. The third man was unharmed.

Police arrested the boyfriend for investigation of two counts of attempted murder. Police also opened a first-degree attempted sex assault case against the other three men. Police said all parties in the case were intoxicated.