Man indicted in stabbing death of ex-girlfriend
An Oahu grand jury has indicted a 32-year-old man in the Monday stabbing death of his ex-girlfriend.Henry Lagmay was charged yesterday with second-degree murder and first-degree burglary for the slaying of Isabelle Yim-Mortier, 38. Bail was set at $250,000.
Lagmay is accused of breaking into Yim-Mortier's Waialae apartment and stabbing her with a knife before fleeing. He turned himself in to Pearl City police about eight hours later.
Northwest to drop flight to San Francisco
Northwest Airlines said today it will drop its daily San Francisco-Honolulu flight May 1, losing about 280 West Coast-Hawaii seats.On the same date, however, Northwest will make its Minneapolis-Honolulu nonstop service, normally running only through the winter, into a year-round service, also with 280 seats.
"We've pulled back some of seasonal service and we've enhanced some year-round routes," said an airline spokeswoman, Mary Beth Schubert.
Dentist fined for failing to file GE tax returns
A Honolulu dentist was fined $20,000 and his corporation $20,000 for failing to file general excise tax returns and not paying withholding taxes on employee's wages.Franklin Kometani yesterday pleaded no contest under a plea agreement to not filing the corporation's general excise tax return for 1997 and not paying withholding taxes on employee wages for 1996.
Kometani & Associates, a professional dental corporation, pleaded no contest to failing to file general excise tax return for 1996 and not paying withholding taxes on employee wages for 1995. Circuit Judge Richard Perkins agreed yesterday to defer Kometani's no contest plea under conditions similar to probation.
Stephen Pingree, Kometani's attorney, could not be reached for immediate comment.
World Court considers Hawaiian kingdom case
A case that puts an international spotlight on a claim that the Hawaiian kingdom still exists is still alive before the World Court at the Hague, Netherlands."There's no way that it's over," said David Keanu Sai, who represents the acting Hawaiian kingdom. Sai said an international tribunal of arbitrators on Feb. 5 declined to hear the merits of the case but recommended it go to a fact-finding panel at the World Court.
At issue is whether the rights of Lance P. Larsen, a proclaimed Hawaiian subject, were violated when the kingdom failed to protect him when he was arrested and jailed in October 1999. Larsen was jailed for driving his car in Hilo without a license, license plates, registration and safety check.
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Publisher and Editor in Chief John Flanagan at 529-4748 or email him at jflanagan@starbulletin.com. Corrections and clarifications
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
Kauai man tries to shoot police officer at station
LIHUE >> A shot was fired inside the Kauai police headquarters yesterday as an officer wrestled with a gunman who threatened to shoot another officer. No one was injured and the gunman was arrested.Police say 45-year-old Gerald Silva of Kalaheo approached the patrol services bureau just inside the entrance to the station with a rifle concealed in a coat and threatened to shoot Sgt. Scott Yagihara.
As officer Randy Chong Tim wrestled Silva to the ground, the rifle discharged.
Police said there appeared to be no motive for the attack, and they will seek attempted-murder charges against Silva.
Man, 19, arrested in January auto theft
Honolulu police last night arrested a 19-year-old man suspected of attempted murder and auto theft in Makiki Jan. 23.The 40-year-old victim sustained a broken foot after he was run over twice while trying to prevent the thief from driving off with his pickup truck.
He told police he climbed over the cab and into the bed of the truck, where another man kicked him out of the truck. The truck ran over his foot as it drove off.
Big Isle drug raids yield four arrests
HILO >> Four people were arrested Wednesday during two drug raids on the Big Island, police said.Police raided a home in Hawaiian Acres in Puna after being alerted to an indoor marijuana-growing operation. Officers seized 41 marijuana plants, a pipe with methamphetamine residue, indoor growing lights and a timer.
Police also arrested a 43-year-old man but released him pending investigation.
About an hour later, police raided a house in nearby Kurtistown and seized small amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana.They arrested two men, ages 39 and 26, and a woman, 32, but released them pending investigation.
During the second raid, officers found a 7-month-old infant, whom they turned over to state Child Protective Services.
