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Newswatch
Star-Bulletin staff and wire
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Federal guard is accused of being 'ice' supplier
A guard at the Honolulu federal detention center has been charged with providing an inmate with crystal methamphetamine and marijuana.
Akoni Sandoval Kapihe made his initial appearance in federal court Friday and was released on $50,000 bail.
Court documents say Kapihe provided an inmate at the detention center with drugs between August and September.
Kapihe's defense attorney and family declined to comment on the charges yesterday. Federal prosecutors also declined comment.
Under the conditions of Kapihe's release, the guard will be required to wear an electronic ankle bracelet to trace his whereabouts, abide by a curfew and ask permission before interisland travel.
He is not allowed to leave the state.
A preliminary hearing in the case will be held Jan. 3 at 10:30 a.m. before Magistrate Judge Leslie Kobayashi.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staff
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Maui elementary school suffers $459,000 in damage
A fire destroyed the cafeteria at Paia Elementary School yesterday, causing more than $459,000 in damage.
Maui Fire Battalion Chief Alan Pascua said the fire was called in about 4:52 a.m. by a passerby.
By 5:30 a.m., the blaze was under control. More than 20 firefighters helped put out the flames.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Pascua would not say whether the blaze appeared suspicious.
Crews remove fuel from grounded boat
Crews removed about 700 gallons of fuel yesterday from a 67-foot fishing boat that ran aground about two miles south of Cape Kumukahi Point on the Big Island.
The Coast Guard monitored the removal of fuel from the Sky Sun vessel, and said there does not appear to be any pollution in the area. The boat is aground half a mile north of Waiopae Tidepools, a state Marine Life Conservation District.
The Sky Sun ran aground about 5 a.m. Thursday with six people onboard. Firefighters rescued the passengers, who were uninjured. The boat's owner is planning to remove the vessel in the coming week.
Japanese tourist missing on Big Island
Big Island police are asking for the public's help in finding a 32-year-old woman who was visiting from Japan.
Chie Shimamura, 32, was last heard from Sept. 30. She is described as 5 feet 2 inches tall, weighing approximately 100 pounds and speaks broken English.
Shimamura was visiting Kona from Japan on a tourist visa, which has since expired.
Police are asking anyone with information on her whereabouts to contact Officer Thomas Koyanagi at the Kona District Station at 326-4646 or police at 935-3311.
Anonymous calls may be made to CrimeStoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona.
Hilo man charged in theft from food bank
Police charged a 31-year-old Hilo man Thursday after he allegedly stole a vehicle from the Hawaii Island Food Bank in Honalo, Kona, in November.
Police caught Paul Sisneros Tuesday in a stolen vehicle.
After searching the van, detectives found property stolen from the food bank, a stolen firearm, ammunition, property from another burglary, a small amount of crystal methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
Sisneros was arrested and charged for car theft, three counts of firearms offenses, two counts of receiving stolen property and drug charges. Bail was set at $28,000.
WINDWARD OAHU
Car crash forces road closure near Punaluu
One lane of Kamehameha Highway near Punaluu was closed for much of yesterday as Hawaiian Electric Co. crews worked to repair a pole damaged in a one-car crash.
The crash happened about 7:30 a.m., after the driver apparently hit a utility pole, spun out of control and then took off on foot, police said.
The driver had still not been located by last night. The car was abandoned in the middle of the roadway.
Police said that given the damage to the car, the driver was likely injured.
After the accident, power lines arced across the road and HECO crews contraflowed lanes while repairs were being done. The road was reopened by about 3 p.m.
LEEWARD OAHU
Stolen vehicle recovered after a year
Police recovered a vehicle that had been stolen a year ago after pulling a man over for an expired safety check in Barbers Point on Thursday.
The suspect, 36, was stopped near Enterprise and Wright streets at 10:57 p.m.
A police check of the vehicle showed that the information on the computer did not match the expiration dates on the license plate and safety check sticker.
Police arrested the man for auto theft, having fraudulent license plates and three outstanding warrants.