StarBulletin.com

Police / Fire


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POSTED: Sunday, November 30, 2008

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Body in police cell will be autopsied

An autopsy has been scheduled for Tuesday to determine the cause of death of a 47-year-old man found dead yesterday in a Hilo cellblock.

The man was arrested at 9:50 a.m. Friday on suspicion of first-degree criminal trespassing and third-degree theft. Unable to post $1,000 bail, he was put in a single-occupancy cell, a police news release said.

At about 3 p.m. yesterday, police found the man unresponsive in his cell and called rescuers, but the man could not be revived. He was taken to Hilo Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

The death has been classified as unattended, and police are conducting an investigation. Authorities withheld the man's name pending notification of relatives on the mainland.

The police Internal Affairs Division is conducting a standard investigation to determine if department policies and procedures were followed.

 

3 men airlifted off grounded boat

A Coast Guard helicopter airlifted three men from a disabled sailboat east of Molokai on Friday night.

The 40-foot sailboat No Hurries ran aground east of Hale O Lono Harbor in a surf zone at about 9 p.m., the Coast Guard said in a news release.

A Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter crew from Air Station Barbers Point arrived within an hour and hoisted the three men to safety. They were taken to Barbers Point.

The vessel is anchored and grounded with no pollution threats, the Coast Guard news release said. The vessel's owner had expected to attempt to remove it from the reef yesterday.

 

HONOLULU

Pedestrian arrested in attack on driver

Police arrested a 27-year-old man who allegedly attacked two teenagers sitting in a car at a Honolulu intersection.

The victims, a 17-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy, were stopped, waiting for two men to cross the street against the light at about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Suddenly, the two men attacked, police said. A 20-year-old man allegedly punched the 17-year-old driver, then walked around the Nissan sedan and damaged the passenger door.

The second man, 27, punched the driver, then smashed the rear side window and punched the younger boy in the back seat, police said.

Both suspects walked away. Police located the 27-year-old man nearby and arrested him on suspicion of unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle and first-degree criminal property damage. The 20-year-old man was still at large.

Police did not identify the intersection where the assaults happened.

 

WEST OAHU

3 divers rescued after losing kayak

A trio of divers in distress was rescued off Lanikai by a good Samaritan vessel yesterday afternoon.

At about 1 p.m. yesterday, three divers were in two kayaks in waters off Lanikai when they lost one of their kayaks.

The trio made their way to Mokunui Island and called for help from there, said fire Capt. Earle Kealoha. But within 15 minutes, a Boston Whaler operator was able to retrieve the divers.