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Newswatch

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Monday, January 24, 2000

More Maui pets suffer paraquat poisoning

More cases of paraquat poisoning of pets are being reported on Maui.

A pet dog died last week and another cat is sick because of the pesticide. Another cat is believed to have died from ingesting paraquat.

Last year, eight animals were confirmed to have been poisoned by paraquat in the southwest coastal community of Kihei, bringing the total to about 50 animals killed there in the last 10 years.

The Maui Humane Society is offering a $5,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of any animal poisonings on the Valley Isle.

"Whoever is doing this is killing animals in the most cruel way possible," said Gary Hendel, executive director of the Maui Humane Society.

The latest poisonings involved a female Labrador-chow mix and a cat whose owners lived within two houses of each other.

Ann Ramos, who lives near Haleakala Waldorf School, said her 5-year-old dog, Pumehana, threw up food last Monday and had difficulty breathing by Wednesday.

Court-martial to begin in death of wife

A 33-year-old Schofield Barracks soldier faces a military court-martial today for allegedly stabbing to death his pregnant German-born wife during a domestic quarrel at their home last summer.

Staff Sgt. Timothy Ward is accused of murdering his wife, Bianca, during an argument Aug. 26 in the couple's home in the Helemano Military Reservation.

Bianca Ward was nine months pregnant when she allegedly was hit on the head several times with a blunt instrument, according to military prosecutors. Ward also repeatedly stabbed his wife in the chest during an argument in the couple's second-floor bedroom.

According to an Army criminal investigator, Ward said one of the reasons for the argument was that his wife was planning to return to Germany on Sept. 12. Bianca Ward had also won custody of their 2-year-old son, Damian.

Ward, a 13-year Army veteran, was an infantry squad leader with the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry. He has been held in the Ford island brig since Aug. 26.

Recycling-dump fire put out after six hours

A fire burning in a recycling plant dump near Campbell Industrial Park was extinguished at 2:30 a.m. yesterday.

Technicians found air samples to be within safe levels.

Fire crews took six hours to put out the fire, in a 50-foot-high heap containing byproducts from Hawaii Metal Recycling Co.'s plant.

The fire occurred next to the site of a Jan. 12 fire at the 91-056 Hanua St. plant.

There were no injuries.

Break-in try starts fire at prison building site

Someone using an acetylene torch to break into construction storage bins containing guns and cartridges ignited a fire at the new federal prison under construction near the airport, the fire department said.

Witnesses heard explosions from the building at Elliott Street and Kuntz Avenue.

Fire crews were alerted at 10:21 p.m. Saturday.

A criminal investigation is under way.

Losses to the building and contents are undetermined.

'Olelo invites islanders to 'Capitol Commentary'

Want to voice your opinion on the air?

'Olelo Community Television invites both legislators and residents of Hawaii to participate in "Capitol Commentary," in which participants are given seven minutes to speak on matters before this year's Legislature.

"Capitol Commentary" will be taped by a volunteer production crew from 6 to 8 p.m. every Wednesday in the public access room, beginning Wednesday.

Call 'Olelo at 834-0007, ext. 128, to reserve a taping time.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers

By George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
Residents of a duplex at 917 Hausten St. flee smoke
from a fire that started shortly before 4:30 p.m. yesterday.
Two families were left homeless, and fire damage was
estimated at $200,000. No injuries were reported.

Traffic rescue leads to a stabbing victim

Emergency crews rescuing two people from what appeared to be a traffic incident found that one of them apparently had been stabbed several times.

A 22-year-old woman was in critical condition this morning at Queen's Medical Center.

The woman and a man, also 22, were found about 7:30 p.m. last night outside a vehicle that had struck a tree near the entrance to Diamond Head Crater.

The vehicle was hanging near the edge of an embankment, police said, and the man and woman had rolled down the embankment. Police have classified the incident as an attempted murder. The man is also hospitalized, but his injuries are not life threatening.

In other news...

Police charged 38-year-old Stephen Fisher with kidnapping, second-degree robbery and possession of a dangerous drug and drug paraphernalia in connection with the alleged kidnapping and robbery of a lei seller in Moiliili Friday night. He is being held on $50,000 bail.

An Army woman stationed at Schofield Barracks told police she was sexually assaulted and robbed at 2:30 a.m. today in a Wahiawa bank parking lot..

Police have charged Hide Semba, 52, and Kalei Perreira, 27, with kidnapping a 50-year-old woman, who reportedly was tortured with an electric "stun gun" last week in an airport-area hotel. Semba is being held on $50,000 bail. Perreira's bail is set at $30,000.

A 5-year-old boy was in critical condition yesterday at Kapiolani Hospital after suffering second- and third-degree burns over 40 percent of his body. Investigators believe that the boy was playing with matches in a Salt Lake apartment when his bed caught fire Saturday morning.

Children are suspected of starting a fire that engulfed a three-bedroom house and damaged a second home in Waianae Saturday night, the fire department said. The fire caused an estimated $135,000 damage.