StarBulletin.com

Police and Fire


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POSTED: Thursday, September 17, 2009

Man accused of biting off woman's finger

Police have arrested a 32-year-old Makiki man who allegedly bit off the finger of a 37-year-old woman he lives with.

Police said the two were involved in a domestic argument on Friday when the argument turned into a physical confrontation, and ended when the man bit off the woman's finger.

The man fled before police arrived, but turned himself in at the main station Tuesday night.

He was arrested on suspicion of first-degree assault.

 

;[Preview]  Fire breaks out at McCully bar
 

Fire Investigators are trying to figure out what caused a blaze that damaged Chiko's Tavern in McCully.

Watch ]

 

Blaze damages third restaurant

For the third time this week, there was an early-morning fire at a Honolulu eatery.

Forty firefighters responded to the 2:24 a.m. alarm yesterday at Chiko's Tavern in McCully.

When the firefighters arrived, they saw smoke coming from a roof vent of the two-story commercial building at 930 McCully St. The tavern was closed and unoccupied at the time of the fire, which was extinguished at 2:55 a.m. The fire destroyed a portion of the lounge.

Firefighters also checked two businesses adjacent to Chiko's Tavern and found light smoke in a restaurant, Camellia Buffet, and used fans to ventilate the smoke.

None of the second-floor businesses were affected by smoke or fire. McCully Street was shut down for nearly two hours as firefighters worked at the scene.

Damage was estimated at $150,000. The cause of the fire is unknown and is under investigation.

On Monday, a 5 a.m. fire caused $30,000 worth of damage to the kitchen at Denny's restaurant on Kuhio Avenue.

Early Tuesday morning, food left cooking on a stove caused $200,000 worth of damage to the kitchen of I Love Country Cafe near Ala Moana Center.

 

Missouri tourist dies off Big Isle

A 77-year-old tourist from Missouri drowned off Kailua-Kona yesterday.

Big Island police said David Ebersole of Liberty, Mo., was snorkeling with a tour group when he was observed motionless in the water yesterday morning at Honokohau Harbor. He was taken to Kona Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:36 a.m.

 

Man allegedly assaults officers

Police arrested a 39-year-old homeless man yesterday morning in Kakaako for allegedly trying to take a police officer's gun from his holster and assaulting two others during his arrest for auto theft.

Police said the man was seen allegedly stealing a truck at 7:38 a.m. yesterday in Kakaako. The man drove a block and abandoned the truck, then allegedly tried to steal another vehicle and fled on foot.

When police found him in a business establishment, the man allegedly resisted arrest and tried to steal the officer's firearm from his holster, then assaulted two other officers with a wooden table leg.

Police said both officers were injured but did not disclose the seriousness of their injuries.

Police subdued the man and arrested him. During a search of the man, police discovered two stolen credit cards. The officers and the man were taken to the Queen's Medical Center for treatment of their injuries.

 

Scuba diver ID'd as Arizona man

A 60-year-old man who died while scuba diving off the Waianae Coast last week has been identified by the Honolulu Medical Examiner's Office as Michael Brady of Tucson, Ariz.

Brady drowned due to a scuba accident last Thursday, the Medical Examiner's Office said.

 

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Speed a factor in traffic death

Maui police say speed was a factor in an accident that killed a pedestrian Tuesday night in Kahului.

Police said 52-year-old Michael Owen was crossing Kaahumanu Avenue near Lono Avenue about 9:21 p.m. when he was hit by an eastbound Dodge four-door sedan driven by a 45-year-old Makawao man.

Owen was not in a crosswalk, police said.

He was taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center, where he died, police said.

This is the third traffic fatality this month in Maui County and the 14th this year, compared with 14 at this time last year.