Man sleeping on park bench stabbed

The police are searching for a man in his 20s in connection with a stabbing that happened early yesterday morning in Kailua.

Police said that a 22-year-old man was sleeping on a park bench when he was attacked by a man armed with a knife. The attacker fled after the man ran to a friend's house for help.

The man was transported to the Queen's Medical Center in serious condition, where he was treated and released. No arrests have been made, and police are classifying the case as a first-degree assault.

Driver dies following 1-car crash

A Big Island man died yesterday from injuries sustained in a one-car crash near the Waimea Country Club golf course.

The accident occurred around 5:30 a.m. yesterday morning when a 2001 Nissan traveling west on Hawaii Belt Road ran off the right side of the highway and overturned into a field.

The driver or passenger were not wearing seat belts and were ejected from the car.

The driver, 24-year-old Keaau resident Albert I. Laurdin, was taken to the Hilo Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The passenger of the car, a 22-year-old Honokaa man, was transported to North Hawaii Community Hospital, where he was listed in satisfactory condition.

Police believe that both excessive speed and alcohol were factors in the crash.

This is the 13th fatality on the Big Island this year, compared with 14 at the same time last year.

Woman is hit after rejecting request

A 49-year-old man was charged yesterday for allegedly punching a 60-year-old woman in the face over a dollar and a cigarette.

Oscar Maresala Masaniai, who gave police no local address, was charged with second-degree assault. He was being held on $30,000 bail.

Police said Masaniai asked the woman for the items at about 5 p.m. July 3 at Kam IV housing, then punched her in the face when she refused.

He was arrested Friday upon his release from Castle Medical Center for unrelated injuries.

Masaniai has a misdemeanor and a petty misdemeanor charge on his record. He was acquitted of a theft charge by reason of insanity in 1986.

Threat over party ends with arrest

Police arrested a 33-year-old man who allegedly threatened a neighbor at knifepoint Saturday over a noisy party in Mililani.

At about 8 p.m. the man became upset about the noise from the outdoor party, police said. An argument ensued, and the man took out a knife and verbally threatened the 24-year-old neighbor, police said.

Police booked the older man on suspicion of first-degree terroristic threatening.