Newswatch Star-Bulletin staff and wire service

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2 unions endorse Hannemann

Two major unions representing the state's police officers and firefighters endorsed Mayor Mufi Hannemann yesterday for his re-election campaign.

In front of at least two dozen union members at Hannemann's campaign headquarters in Dole Cannery, Hannemann pledged to make public safety one of his priorities if re-elected.

Leaders of the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers and the Hawaii Fire Fighters Association, which also supported Hannemann when he ran for mayor in 2004, praised Hannemann's record in backing public safety.

"On his priority list has always been public safety," said Tenari Maafala, president of SHOPO, which has 3,000 active members. Robert Lee, president of HFFA, said the union will support Hannemann in his future endeavors.

Hannemann has not ruled out running for another office in 2010.

Panos Prevedouros, a possible contender for mayor, also e-mailed supporters and colleagues, notifying them of his leave of absence as a professor from the University of Hawaii starting today. Prevedouros has yet to file officially as a mayoral candidate.

Shark sightings close beach

HANALEI, Kauai » For the second time in a week, lifeguards closed Hanalei Bay yesterday due to sharks in the area.

Several sharks, 6 to 8 feet long, including at least one hammerhead, were spotted yesterday morning.

On Saturday the bay was closed after lifeguards received reports of hammerhead sharks 6 to 10 feet long near the Hanalei pier. It was reopened Sunday.

County officials said they will not reopen the beach until it is deemed safe.

Fall victim died days before find

Millionaire Steven Thomas of Lanikai was alive for at least a week after he disappeared June 30, according to information from the medical examiner.

Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kanthi De Alwis said the 36-year-old, whose body was found Sunday afternoon, died approximately five to six days prior to its discovery by hikers near a trail below Pali Highway.

Thomas' wife, Candis, said her husband was diagnosed with bipolar disorder earlier this year and had been suicidal. The couple had planned to move to Boulder, Colo., but Thomas did not want to leave.

Thomas co-founded Colorado-based Webroot Software, sold for $108 million in 2004.

The Medical Examiner's Office's final autopsy report is pending the outcome of tests.

Police, Fire, Courts Star-Bulletin staff

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Construction mishap hurts worker

A construction worker in his 40s was in stable condition after sustaining an injury yesterday morning at the Kakaako construction site of the Moana Vista, where a 50-year-old construction worker died last month.

The Fire Department found the man had sustained injuries from a construction accident on the top level of the building at 1019 Kapiolani Blvd., fire Capt. Terry Seelig said. The Fire Department received the call at 9:47 a.m. and arrived in three minutes.

Seelig did not know the nature of the accident or the type of work the man was performing.

Fire responders assessed and treated the man before he was placed in a basket and lowered to the ground by a Hawaiian Dredging Construction Co. crane operator, Seelig said.

The man was taken in stable condition by ambulance to an area hospital, said Bryan Cheplic, city Emergency Services Department spokesman.

Seelig said the worker was an employee of Hawaiian Dredging, contractor for the project.

On June 2, Greg Wong, an American Standard Concrete Pumping Hawaii Inc. employee, died after a concrete pump fell and hit him in the head at the luxury condominium project site.

HONOLULU

Exhaust system blamed for car fire

A car fire that burned its occupant Tuesday was sparked by an overheated element of the exhaust system, fire investigators said yesterday.

Fire Department spokesman Capt. Terry Seelig said yesterday the source of the blaze was the catalytic converter, which apparently overheated while the car was idling.

"It appears that the car was idling in place for at least an hour," said Seelig, based on information from witnesses.

The heat started a fire in the wiring and other flammable materials on the outside of the car, including the tires, said Seelig.

Firefighters pulled the unresponsive occupant out of the car at the end of Koauka Street in Aiea.

The man, who had second-degree burns over about 20 percent of his body, remains hospitalized.

Seelig said it is unknown why the man was unresponsive. He said it is possible that he was overcome by carbon monoxide, a product of engine combustion.

Tooth knocked out in pitching duel

Police arrested a 34-year-old man who allegedly knocked out a woman's tooth with a cell phone.

The suspect and a 21-year-old woman got into an argument at a family gathering in Kalihi at about 9:30 Tuesday night, police said.

The woman threw a beer bottle at the suspect but missed, police said.

The suspect responded by throwing a cellular phone at the woman, hitting her mouth and knocking out a tooth. Police were called and arrested the suspect on suspicion of second-degree assault.

1 of 2 suspects held in burglary

Police arrested a 15-year-old boy suspected of burglarizing a Kaimuki apartment early Monday morning.

Police said a teenage boy was seen allegedly leaving the apartment's lanai at about 12:40 a.m. Monday, while another teen about 15 to 17 years old was seen waiting in the parking lot below.

Police said the two ran away with two laptop computers, a purse and jewelry.

Police caught the 15-year-old, who was identified by the residents -- a 30-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman.

The boy was arrested on suspicion of first-degree burglary. He was released later and is scheduled to appear in court on Friday.

Man, 34, accused of choking woman

Police arrested a 34-year-old man who allegedly choked his girlfriend.

Officers were sent to a Kalihi home at about 4:30 p.m. yesterday to investigate an argument.

When they arrived, a 27-year-old woman accused the suspect, her boyfriend, of choking her.

The suspect fled, but later turned himself in to Kalihi police.

He was arrested on suspicion of abuse and first-degree terroristic threatening.

NORTH SHORE

Child hospitalized in near drowning

A call for a near drowning of a child in Waialua came in at about 11:45 a.m. yesterday.

Bryan Cheplic, spokesman for the Emergency Services Department, said the child was taken in stable condition to an area hospital, but could not confirm the victim's age.

LEEWARD OAHU

3 of 4 suspects arrested in fight

Police arrested three of four suspects in connection with a fight during which a man was stabbed and a woman assaulted.

Police said that at about 9:50 last night, an argument broke out on 86-646 Farrington Highway in Makaha between a 39-year-old woman and the four suspects.

Police said a 30-year-old man was stabbed multiple times as he tried to break up the argument.

One of the suspects allegedly punched the woman in the face, fracturing her jaw, police said. The stabbing victim was hospitalized in serious but stable condition.

Two women, ages 19 and 23, and a 40-year-old man were arrested for investigation of attempted second-degree murder. The three suspects all live together.

Police were still looking for a 21-year-old woman as a fourth suspect, who fled the scene before they arrived.