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Newswatch
Star-Bulletin staff and wire service
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Third death blamed on doctor
A Honolulu doctor awaiting trial in federal court for alleged Medicaid fraud and allegedly causing the deaths of two people by unnecessarily dispensing painkillers is being sued in state court for allegedly causing a third death.
Jimmy Don Clark, 41, died in May 2005 from an overdose of oxycodone and OxyContin, according to a lawsuit filed in state court yesterday on behalf of his two children. The drugs were prescribed to him by Dr. Barry N. Odegaard to treat depression, the lawsuit says.
A federal grand jury indicted Odegaard in March 2006 on 10 counts of distributing oxycodone between March and December 2004 and submitting nearly $500 in false billings to Medicaid between August and November 2004.
Another federal grand jury added charges in March 2007 that he dispensed nearly 55,000 milligrams of oxycodone on 11 occasions and 1,400 milligrams of methadone on one occasion between May 2003 and December 2004, resulting in one death May 8, 2003, and another death July 24, 2004.
Activists return to Iolani Palace
Members of the Hawaiian Kingdom Government returned to Iolani Palace yesterday but did not block access to the public.
On Wednesday the group blocked access to the palace grounds to make known that it is re-establishing itself as the seat of government in Hawaii.
No arrests were made, and negotiations with state officials caused the group to open the gates. Members remained at the grounds yesterday, eating and chatting in the grassy areas.
State Department of Land and Natural Resources Director Laura Thielen said the department's officers will work with the Friends of Iolani Palace to ensure the area remains open to the public and that the historic buildings are protected.
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Hawaiian Kingdom Government member Mack, no last name given, from Waianae greeted visitors at Iolani Palace yesterday with alohas and smiles.
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Pilot blamed for bouncy landing
Pilot error has been cited in a landing mishap involving a small plane at Honolulu Airport in March.
The National Transportation Safety Board, in a finding issued Wednesday, said the pilot failed to adequately compensate for wind shear, which caused the plane to land hard, bounce and break its landing gear on second touchdown.
None of the four occupants was seriously injured.
The Piper aircraft, owned by Niu Aviation and operated by Makena Aviation, left Lanai in the late morning and arrived at Honolulu just before noon March 22.
Civil rights panel offers training
The Hawaii Civil Rights Commission will be holding its annual public training from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. May 14 at the Hawaii Convention Center's Emalani Theater.
The training will feature presentations and question-and-answer sessions with experts on equal employment opportunity, mediation of sexual harassment cases and employment discrimination law. Registration starts at 7:30 a.m. A registration fee of $30 per person is payable in advance and will include handouts, parking and refreshments.
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Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff
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Utah man goes missing on Kauai
LIHUE » The Kauai Police Department is asking for the public's help with finding a missing person.
Jesse Glenn Pinegar
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According to police, 22-year-old Jesse Glenn Pinegar was reported missing by his father on April 13.
Pinegar flew to Hawaii from Utah for a vacation three months ago. He is believed to be somewhere on the North Shore, possibly in Kalalau Valley or working on a farm. His father is currently on Kauai searching for him.
Pinegar is 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighs about 185 pounds. He has brown eyes and brown hair, with a light complexion and a medium build, with two tattoos of a Celtic tree of life on his right shoulder and a Celtic bear tattoo on his left abdomen.
Anyone with information about Pinegar is urged to call police dispatch at 241-1711, CrimeStoppers at 241-1887 or Pinegar's father at (801) 427-7183.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Computers stolen from UH-Hilo
Big Island police are seeking the identity of persons who stole two Macintosh computers from the University of Hawaii at Hilo between 5:30 p.m. Wednesday and 7:45 a.m. yesterday.
Police said the computers are valued at $1,200 each.
Anyone with information is asked to call officer Donovan Kohara at 961-2213 or the nonemergency number at 935-3311.
Anonymous calls may be made to CrimeStoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona.
WEST OAHU
Mo-ped driver hurt in crash with SUV
A 22-year-old mo-ped rider was in critical condition after he was injured Wednesday evening when his mo-ped struck a sport utility vehicle in Waianae.
Police said the mo-ped driver was reportedly trying to pass a four-door Jeep Cherokee ahead of him, which was traveling east on Farrington Highway.
The 17-year-old SUV driver was turning left into a driveway when the 1988 black Honda mo-ped, traveling east in the westbound lane, struck the SUV as the mo-ped driver tried to pass it, police said.
The driver was thrown from his mo-ped and was taken to the Queen's Medical Center in critical condition.
The accident occurred at 5:59 p.m. Wednesday on Farrington 215 feet west of Lahilahi Street.
The SUV driver and his two passengers were uninjured.
Police said the mo-ped driver was speeding, which was a factor in the crash, and he was not wearing a helmet.
WAIKIKI
Man allegedly hits police after fight
Police arrested a 28-year-old man who allegedly attacked another man and assaulted a police officer early yesterday.
Shortly after midnight in Waikiki, the suspect allegedly hit a 19-year-old man in the jaw, knocking out a tooth.
Police said the suspect then elbowed an officer three times as the officer tried to stop him from leaving.
The suspect was arrested, and as he was being strapped into the back seat of a patrol car, he kneed the officer in the face, police said.
The suspect was arrested on suspicion of three counts of harassment, second-degree assault and first-degree assault on a law enforcement officer.