Newswatch Star-Bulletin staff and wire service

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Maui condo access suit settled

A Maui man's disability discrimination claim was settled with an agreement that allows him to regain access to his apartment with construction of a wheelchair ramp.

Bob and Bessie Bourbeau also will receive $200,000 from the Kihei condominium management in the agreement announced yesterday.

The couple complained that federal and state fair-housing laws were violated when the Association of Apartment Owners of Menehune Shores and Asset Property Management Inc. removed a wheelchair ramp more than three years ago.

The Hawaii Civil Rights Commission investigated their complaint filed by the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii and found in 2005 that there was reasonable cause to believe that it was discrimination, according to a release.

Attorneys were in conciliation talks for 14 months and reached the settlement after the case was scheduled for an administrative hearing this year before the commission.

The condo association will install a permanent ramp on the second floor to provide access from the apartment to the elevator. The association had provided a portable metal ramp which the Bourbeaus refused to use for safety reasons.

Under the settlement, the association did not admit any violation of law. It agreed to provide training in fair-housing laws for board members and agents.

Hawaii Civil Rights Commission Executive Director William Hoshijo said the case demonstrates that apartment boards, managers and agents should keep informed of legal requirements and "respond to requests for accommodations in a timely manner."

Festivities to honor Sun Yat-sen

The public is invited to a birthday celebration for Sun Yat-sen and rededication ceremony for his statue at Sun Yat-sen Mall tomorrow.

The ceremony will begin at 8:30 a.m. at North Beretania and River streets on the eve of the 141st birthday of Sun, known as the father of modern China, according to a news release from the Sun Yat-sen Foundation for Peace & Education.

Attendees are encouraged to bring leis for the statue, which was donated by the sister city of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, in 1976.

Live entertainment will include the Royal Hawaiian Band, lion dances and firecrackers.

The United Chinese Society, the Kuomintang Society of Hawaii and Sun Yat-sen Foundation for Peace & Education are presenting the ceremony. Call 597-8811 for more information.

Police, Fire, Courts Star-Bulletin staff

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Fake-check scam hits Internet

Police are warning residents of an Internet scam involving forged traveler's checks and money orders.

Seven people have been arrested since August after responding to Web requests to cash American Express traveler's checks or Wal-Mart money orders. Police said in exchange for the assistance, the scam promised to give them a percentage of the money cashed.

Police said one woman responded to an advertisement for a business opportunity and was sent three $500 American Express traveler's checks. Her husband tried cashing the checks at a supermarket and was arrested for forgery. If the checks had been accepted, he was to keep 10 percent of the total amount and mail the remainder to the original source.

To find out if a check is counterfeit, visit the American Express Web site at www.americanexpress.com. Anyone with information is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME on a cellular phone.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Girl, 16, missing with infant son

Big Island police are searching for a 16-year old girl and her month-old son, reported missing from their Hilo home since Oct. 8.

The two were identified as Shelby and Shelton Perreira.

Shelby Perreira is described as 5 feet 2 inches tall, about 144 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.

Police ask anyone with information to call the Hawaii Police Department's nonemergency telephone number at 935-3311, or CrimeStoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona.

Keaau girl missing since late August

Big Island police are looking for a 16-year-old girl missing from her Keaau home since Aug. 28.

Amber Mcatee is part Filipino, 5 feet 6 inches tall, 110 pounds, with brown hair and eyes.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 935-3311 or CrimeStoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona.

LEEWARD OAHU

Woman allegedly chokes mother

Police arrested a 36-year-old Waianae woman who allegedly choked her mother.

Police said that at about 10:50 p.m. Wednesday, the suspect and her 59-year-old mother were arguing at their Waianae home when the suspect began choking her mother.

Police later arrested the daughter on suspicion of abuse of a household member. The mother was taken in stable condition to a hospital.

HONOLULU

Husband arrested in wife's death

Police arrested a 50-year-old Kalihi man yesterday accused of stabbing his wife to death on Oct. 28.

A grand jury indicted Melchor Adviento on the charge of second-degree murder Wednesday in the death of his wife, Erlinda.

Adviento answered the door covered in blood when officers arrived at their Kalihi home, police said. He had stabbed wounds to his torso and was taken in critical condition to the Queen's Medical Center, according to police, who have not said how Adviento received his wounds.

Adviento was arrested at Queen's and taken to the Oahu Community Correctional Center, police said. His bail was set at $1 million.

WAIKIKI

Neighbor's attack knocks out boy, 16

A 19-year-old man was arrested Wednesday after he allegedly beat another teen living in the same Waikiki apartment complex.

Police said the suspect approached the 16-year-old boy in the parking lot, called him by name and punched and kneed him until he fell to the pavement.

The boy hit his head and lost consciousness, police said. The suspect fled. The boy was later taken to the hospital. His condition was not available. The suspect was arrested on suspicion of third-degree assault.

WINDWARD OAHU

Man is accused in October attack

Police arrested a 43-year-old man Wednesday in connection with a beating last month.

On Oct. 10 the suspect allegedly hit a 28-year-old woman he lives with in Kahuku. Police said the suspect hit her with a wooden chair leg, choked her and threatened her with a large kitchen knife. The suspect fled when the victim called police.

On Wednesday the suspect returned home, and he was arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault, terroristic threatening and abuse of a household member.

COURTS

Woman sues state over jail sex attack

A woman is suing the state, alleging that she was sexually assaulted by a guard when she was confined at the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility in 2002.

According to state court records, the woman was 16 years old at the time of the alleged assault. The woman is suing the guard, two former HYCF administrators, the Office of Youth Services and the state Department of Human Services.

The woman claims in the federal lawsuit, filed this week, that she was assaulted in June or July 2002 when she was alone in a locked-down cell at the Kailua facility. The woman says she was confined at HYCF from July 2000 to July 2001 and from August 2001 to July 2003.

The guard has not been charged.

The time limit for initiating a prosecution for sexual assault ranges from two to six years after the crime is committed. However, that can be extended by up to three years if the alleged crime was committed by a public officer or employee.

A Human Services Department spokesman said the department could not comment on the lawsuit because its attorneys had not seen it.

Assaults on girl lead to indictment

An Oahu grand jury has indicted a man for allegedly sexually assaulting a girl younger than age 14 beginning seven years ago.

Winson Elley was charged this week with two counts of first-degree sexual assault and three counts of third-degree sexual assault.

The indictment said Elley sexually assaulted the girl with his finger during a period of three years.