|
Newswatch
Star-Bulletin staff and wire
|
Man who fled islands arrested in forgery
A 31-year-old Salt Lake man who disappeared after his 2005 Mercedes-Benz was found on the cliffs of Makapuu in March was arrested yesterday.
Kenneth J. Peters Jr. was arrested on suspicion of 15 counts of second-degree forgery, according to the police booking log.
Peters was under criminal investigation by Honolulu police for allegedly forging several checks and stealing more than $100,000 from Flight School Hawaii, where he had been a student and was then employed to do accounting work.
Sources close to the investigation had said Peters' case was being prepared to go before an Oahu grand jury when he disappeared. Peters returned March 25 to Honolulu after taking a trip to Thailand.
3 indicted in federal ice-trafficking case
A Hawaii federal grand jury indicted two Hawaii men and a California woman yesterday for allegedly conspiring to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, about 100 pounds of methamphetamine.
Angela Marie Olguin of California and Adam Akamu Kaio and Daniel K. Barrionuebo Jr. of Hawaii were indicted yesterday in federal court.
Olguin allegedly arranged for methamphetamine to be sent from California to Hawaii, the indictment said.
It alleges that in August, September and October, Kaio distributed methamphetamine to Barrionuebo, who distributed it to others.
Kaio and Olguin are required to forfeit to the U.S. government approximately $155,180.
Solicitor for charities accepts penalty deal
A Honolulu solicitor for charitable organizations whose license was suspended last month for allegedly breaking tax and disclosure laws has entered into a consent agreement with the state attorney general, according to a news release issued yesterday.
Bryan Henry, owner of Island Printing and Publishing, agreed to pay a $7,500 fine and has been put on probationary status for a year. His license registration will also be suspended for 40 days.
On Oct. 5, state Attorney General Mark Bennett revoked Henry's registration as a professional solicitor for charities.
Under the agreement announced yesterday, one of the acts Henry admitted to was failing to tell potential donors that the Law Enforcement Officers Association of Hawaii was not tax-exempt.
GOP moves to split 9th Circuit Court
WASHINGTON » House Republicans yesterday included a break-up of the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a budget bill that would be immune from Senate filibuster, drawing complaints from Democrats.
"It does not have the support to pass both houses of Congress, so House Republicans are seeking to stifle debate and the democratic process by inserting a controversial measure into the expedited budget process," said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco.
The House Budget Committee included the measure in a $54 billion deficit-reduction bill that is expected to get a House floor vote next week.
The measure would create a 9th Circuit covering California, Hawaii and the Pacific Islands, and a new 12th Circuit covering Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Nevada and Arizona.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staff
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Bodies found near wrecked car on Kauai
HANAPEPE » The bodies of two Kauai residents were found Wednesday, midway down a 500-foot cliff, after the vehicle they were in apparently ran off Kaumualii Highway days ago.
Police believe the vehicle was traveling west on the main route through western Kauai Saturday night or Sunday morning when it ran off the two-lane roadway and plunged down the cliff.
The bodies of the two men, who have not been publicly identified, were found next to the vehicle yesterday, police said. Police officers and firefighters responded to the area after receiving a call from a citizen.
Family members had put up a memorial at the site by yesterday afternoon, about 200 yards west of the Hanapepe Valley lookout.
Police are investigating and ask anyone with information to call the Kauai Police Department Traffic Safety Unit at 241-1611 or CrimeStoppers at 241-1887.
HONOLULU
Police seek 2 men from furlough center
Police are looking for two men who have escaped from the Laumaka Work Furlough Center in separate incidents.
Police want the public's help in finding David Teo, 42, who failed to return to Laumaka at 8 p.m. Oct. 31. Teo was scheduled for a parole hearing in March.
Teo is described as Samoan, 5 feet 10 inches, 232 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.
Police are also looking for escapee Shane Santos who failed to return to the Laumaka Work Furlough Center at 9 p.m. Oct. 31. Santos, 36, was up for parole Nov. 22.
Santos is described as Hawaiian, 5 feet 9 inches, 257 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.
Anyone with information on either men is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300, or *CRIME on a cell phone.
Alleged crack cocaine group is arrested
Police busted a group of suspected crack cocaine users and one suspected dealer in a drug raid near Chinatown Wednesday night.
Police arrested 11 people for investigation of drug offenses -- one alleged dealer and 10 alleged users -- in the area of Aala Park about 6 p.m.
Narcotics/vice officers said the raid was a result of complaints by residents who said whenever they walked through or near the area they were approached by others and asked if they wanted to buy drugs.
WINDWARD OAHU
Kahaluu house damaged in blaze
A one-story wooden house in Kahaluu was heavily damaged in a fire yesterday morning.
Fire Capt. Kenison Tejada said a family with two adults and three children lived in the house at Kamakoi Place and Kamakoi Road, but no one was at home at the time of the fire.
When firefighters arrived on the scene shortly after 10:10 a.m., the fire was fully involved. The fire was brought under control by 10:30 a.m.
Damage was estimated at $160,000 to the building and $20,000 to the contents. Tejada said about a third to a half of the home was destroyed.
Fire investigators had not yet determined a cause yesterday.