Oahu, Maui and Kauai warned of flooding

Thunderstorms and possible flooding could occur on Kauai, Oahu and Maui starting today through Monday, National Weather Service forecasters warn.

Kauai is under a flash-flood watch today, and Oahu and Maui will be under a flash-flood watch starting tonight. The stormy weather could stall over the islands and bring heavy rains of about 3 to 5 inches in lower elevations and up to a foot of rain at higher elevations.

Oahu Civil Defense officials urged residents to take precautions, like learning the safest route from your home or place of business to high, safe ground; keeping materials on hand that can be used to protect property; and not allowing young children to play along streams or near drainage ditches.

Big Isle park water is safe to drink

The water at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island is safe to drink, the park announced yesterday.

Visitors and staff had been drinking bottled water for about three weeks while state health officials did repeated tests to confirm the safety of park water, the park said.

The testing followed an "atypical" sample, they said. Park officials did not specify what was the problem was with the sample.

Police, Fire, Courts

Star-Bulletin staff

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Maui officials probing cause of woman's death

WAILUKU » The Maui County coroner's office was conducting tests to determine the cause of death of a woman whose body was found in Haiku.

A passer-by found the body floating face down in a stream near Ulalena Loop below Twin Falls at about 2 p.m. Thursday, police Lt. Glenn Cuomo said.

Cuomo said the body appeared to have been in the stream for several days.

He said the woman, who appeared to be a middle-age Caucasian woman, has not been identified.

Cuomo said she was found with her clothes on, and there were no obvious signs of foul play.

Cuomo said the coroner's physician began the autopsy yesterday, and investigators were hoping to identify the woman by Monday.

Big Isle man wanted by drug program

Big Island police want help finding a 26-year-old man who is wanted by the county drug court program.

Police describe Travis Lonokapu as 6 feet 2 inches tall, 175 pounds, having a medium build, a fair complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. His last known address was 483 Kinoole St. in Hilo, police said.

Information sought regarding Kau theft

Big Island police want information about the theft of a hymnal machine during a burglary in Kau a year ago.

Police said the burglary happened in the Hawaiian Ranchos subdivision in October 2005.

One of the items that was stolen was a digital hymnal, which is used to play music for church services and other church activities.

The hymnal is described as looking like a briefcase with a zipper.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Rio Amon-Wilkins at 326-4646, ext. 277.

Tipsters may also call CrimeStoppers at 329-8181 in Kona and 961-8300 in Hilo.

COURTESY IMAGE
A hymnal machine, similar to this one, is used to play music for church services and other church activities.

3 teens arrested in school break-in, thefts

Three teenage boys were arrested by Big Island police yesterday on suspicion of breaking into Pahoa High School earlier in the morning and stealing money and food.

Several doors were damaged and rooms were entered, school officials told police.

The three Pahoa boys, aged 14 to 16, were charged as juveniles with nine counts each of second-degree burglary, police reported.

Police are still looking for two more teenagers connected with the burglaries at Pahoa High School and ask anyone with information to call Detective John Ancheta or officer BJ Duarte at 961-2276, or police at 935-3311.

WINDWARD OAHU

Crash victim is ID'd as Ewa Beach man

A 48-year-old man who was injured in an Oct. 4 car accident in Kaneohe and died Wednesday was identified by the Medical Examiner's Office as Michael Tavares of Ewa Beach.

Tavares died due to complications from blunt force injuries due to the motor vehicle accident, according to the Medical Examiner's Office.

Police said Tavares was driving a green Chevrolet Astrovan on Likelike Highway near Kahekili Highway when he reportedly rear-ended a Chevy flatbed pickup truck stopped at a red light, triggering a chain reaction. Two other pickup trucks in front of the flatbed were struck.

Tavares was taken to the Queen's Medical Center in guarded condition and treated for a broken right ankle, cuts to his right knee and abrasions to his right hand, police said. He was later upgraded to fair condition but confined at the hospital.

He died Wednesday at Queen's, police said.

Two other drivers were treated for pain and released, police said.

LEEWARD OAHU

VERY WRONG TURN

RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM
A woman ran her van into a house yesterday while backing it out of the parking lot at 91-849 Paumalu St. in Ewa around 1:30 p.m., said Honolulu Fire Department spokesman Capt. Frank Johnson. The woman was not traveling fast and caused only minor damage to the property, Johnson said. She declined medical attention from firefighters.