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Police officer's death in 2003 prompts suit

The father of a police solo bike officer who died two years ago in a multivehicle crash on the Leeward Coast filed a lawsuit in Circuit Court yesterday that blames the drivers involved in the collision for the death of his son.

Alan Goto, father of officer Ryan Goto, 35, filed the suit against drivers Karin R. Williams, Marc Henderson and Lorrie Ann Moniz. Also named in the lawsuit is the Girl Scout Council of Hawaii and the state.

According to the lawsuit, Henderson was driving a pickup truck east on Farrington Highway when a large box fell from his vehicle onto the roadway about 9:57 a.m. July 23, 2003. Williams was driving to a Girl Scout outing in the same lane behind Henderson. The dropped box caused Williams to swerve and slow down.

The lawsuit said Moniz was in the same lane behind Williams and struck the rear of Williams' vehicle. Williams' car then crossed the highway median into oncoming traffic.

Goto and two other solo bike officers, David Bega and Paul Javier, were Waianae-bound on Farrington Highway when Williams collided with them. Goto suffered fatal injuries.

Williams' 10-year-old daughter, Alacia, also died in the collision.

U.S. District Court senior clerk to retire

Walter A.Y.H. Chinn, clerk of the U.S. District Court for Hawaii, will retire June 1.

Chinn joined the court in May 1964 and was appointed clerk of the court by then-Chief Judge Martin Pence on Dec. 31, 1966. At the time, he was the youngest clerk of the court. Chinn is presently the most senior clerk of the court in the U.S. court system.

Along with Pence, Chinn served under former Chief Judges Samuel King, Harold Fong and Alan Kay, and current Chief Judge David Ezra.

Kona man gets time for dumping sewage

KEALAKEKUA, Hawaii » The driver of a Big Island septic tank truck has been sentenced to six months in prison for dumping sewage from his truck onto a lava field in the Hilo Forest Reserve, the attorney general's office announced.

David W. Kerwin of Kailua-Kona was given a deferred acceptance of his guilty plea Wednesday by Kona Circuit Judge Ronald Ibarra and was sentenced to a year in prison and fined $5,000. However, Ibarra suspended six months of the sentence. He also allowed Kerwin to serve the sentence intermittently over a three-year period.

Attorney General Mark Bennett said the prosecution was done by the department's Environmental Crimes Unit. Dumping waste water onto the ground is punishable by up to three years in prison and $50,000 in fines.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

HONOLULU

Boy sought for alleged sex assault in Kaimuki

Police are looking for a 17-year-old boy for allegedly entering a Kaimuki woman's apartment and sexually assaulting her early yesterday morning.

Police said the incident occurred between 4 and 4:30 a.m.

The suspect fled before police arrived. The victim was taken to Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children.

Suspect in robbery linked to other cases

Police charged an 18-year-old Manoa man with first-degree robbery Wednesday.

Police said that about 3 p.m. Monday, Jarett A. Lee brandished a knife and demanded money from a 17-year-old boy in front of 1508 Punahou St.

Police said Lee also is suspected in several other robbery cases. He was already in custody when he was charged, and is being held in lieu of $40,000 bail for the robbery case.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Home fire burns man, does $350,000 damage

A 38-year-old man suffered burns to most of this body Wednesday at a house fire in Kona.

Big Island firefighters responded to the fire at 73-1125 Loloa Drive about 3:44 p.m. and found the single-family home engulfed in flames.

The victim was taken to Kona Community Hospital. His condition was not available.

Fire officials said contractor employees helped fight the fire by using a nearby water tanker. Damage to the home was estimated at $350,000. Fire investigators said something apparently ignited gasoline that had spilled on the garage floor.

WINDWARD OAHU

Woman uses her car in alleged attack

Police are looking for a 45-year-old woman who allegedly attacked another woman and sideswiped her vehicle early yesterday in Kailua.

Police said the other woman, 39, and a man, 42, were sitting in the woman's car near Akuleana Place in Enchanted Lake about 12:30 a.m. when the suspect drove up and starting arguing with the man. The suspect drove off but then came back, police said.

Police said the man got out of the car to confront the suspect while the female victim stayed inside. The man stood in front of the oncoming car but stepped out of the way as it got closer, police said. The suspect's vehicle then sideswiped the other car, police said. The suspect got out of her car and attacked the other woman with her bare hands and then fled, police said. No one was hurt.

LEEWARD OAHU

Man, 38, is accused of sex assaults on girl

Police arrested a 38-year-old Kapolei man for allegedly fondling a now 14-year-old girl during a three-year period.

Police said the suspect sexually assaulted the victim on several occasions from Feb. 7, 2002, to April 26. Police arrested him Wednesday for investigation of four counts of third-degree sexual assault. He was released pending investigation.