6 members appointed to state review board
The Hawaii Supreme Court has appointed three new members to the Disciplinary Board and reappointed three. They will all serve three-year terms ending June 30, 2004.Douglas A. Crosier, Lynn H. Higashi and Clifford L. Nakea were newly appointed to the 18-member body, which reviews the conduct of lawyers.
Crosier is a partner with Rush Moore Craven Sutton Morry & Beh and specializes in litigation, civil and family law.
Higashi, of Kamuela, is an associate with Cades Schutte Fleming & Wright on the Big Island. Her practice emphasizes commercial, real estate, business and administrative law.
Nakea, a Kauai Circuit Court judge, is a former board member. He is a member of the Permanent Committee on Penal Rules, Court Interpreter Certification Committee, State Trial Judges Executive Board and the American Judicature Society.
Attorney Charles T. Kleintop and nonlawyers Millicent M.Y.H. Kim and Jean E. Rolles were reappointed by the court.
2 lanes fronting City Hall will be closed for 10 days
The two most mauka lanes of South King Street between Punchbowl and Alapai streets will be closed for about 10 days beginning 7 a.m. Saturday.The closure, directly in front of Honolulu Hale and the City Hall campus, will allow workers to pour concrete for bus lanes, said Rodney Haraga of KFC Engineering, one of the city's consultants on the project.
Motorists will be allowed access through the four other lanes during that time, Haraga said.
Punahou offramp closed this weekend for paving
The Punahou Street offramp from the H-1 freeway will be closed from 2 p.m. Saturday until 5 a.m. Monday for asphalt paving.The state Department of Transportation suggests that motorists use the Punchbowl, Kinau and Bingham streets exits as well as the University Avenue offramp as alternate routes.
The weekend closure will save an estimated three weeks of daily paving work, according to the DOT.
[THE COURTS]
Crash suspect indicted on manslaughter charges
An Oahu grand jury indicted Jones Pele Poti yesterday on charges of manslaughter stemming from a car crash that killed two people in Waianae more than a year ago.Poti was charged with two counts of manslaughter, three counts of first-degree negligent injury and one count of fleeing the scene of the July 29, 2000, crash.
Killed were Janet Joseph and Elizabeth Kahalepuna. Three others were injured.
Bail for Poti was set at $50,000.
Corrections and clarifications
>> This is a photo of Roberto Miguel, left, who was sentenced to life in prison for killing Army Capt. John Latchum. The photo of another person ran on A3 in yesterday's early edition.
>> Los Angeles attorney Terry Christensen is chairman of IVI Smart Technologies Inc. The afternoon edition of Hawaii Inc. on Tuesday incorrectly identified him as Larry Christensen.
>> The maximum penalty for manslaughter is 20 years. A story on A2 yesterday about Derek Waki Sr. pleading guilty to manslaughter incorrectly said the maximum penalty is 10 years.
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
LEEWARD OAHU
Arson suspected in fires plaguing Leeward area
Two brush fires in the Waipahu/Kunia area yesterday are believed to have been intentionally set, said Capt. Roland Harvest of the Waipahu Fire Station.Firefighters responded at 3:44 p.m. to a brush fire near a drainage ditch, about a quarter-mile from Honowai Elementary School. The fire burned about a quarter of an acre and was extinguished within 20 minutes, said Harvest.
Another brush fire occurred in the ravine below Kaleiopuu Elementary School in Royal Kunia at 6:12 p.m. The fire burned about three acres and was extinguished by 7:55 p.m.
Between Friday night and Sunday afternoon, there were 13 brush fires in the Waianae area. Fire officials believe those also were intentionally set.
Garbage truck hits, kills woman, 80, in Aiea
An 80-year-old woman died this morning when she was struck by a city garbage truck in Aiea.The incident occurred about 6:15 a.m. on Ieie Place. An ambulance responded to the call but the woman was pronounced dead at the scene.
Man charged in robbery of Pearl Kai jewelry store
A 33-year-old man was charged yesterday in connection with the armed robbery of a jewelry store in the Pearl Kai Shopping Center on Aug. 12. Edward Benson is being held in lieu of $25,000.
Police released video of the robbery of JT Jewelry and Watch Store captured by the store's surveillance camera. Police said on Tuesday an anonymous tip to CrimeStoppers identified one of the two robbers. Police picked him up and took him to the Pearl City Police Station, where they arrested him after the store owner identified him in a photographic lineup.
Police believe the man is the robber who filled a backpack with jewelry as the other robber held a gun to the store owner and employees.
The other suspect has been described as a man in his 30s, with short black hair and a tan complexion. He is further described as 5-foot-4, 140 pounds, with a slim build.
Woman held for robbery, extortion and kidnapping
A 46-year-old Pupukea woman is in police custody pending extortion, robbery and kidnapping charges for allegedly forcing her business partner to sign over his share of the business to her at gunpoint.Police said the woman and three men armed with handguns went to the business at 96-1362 Waihona St. in Pearl City Sunday where they threatened and physically abused the business partner. The woman turned herself in Tuesday.
Men attack parked car in Waikele with bricks
Police are looking for two suspects who threw bricks through a parked car in Waikele early yesterday morning and tried to assault the driver.Police said a 26-year-old Schofield Barracks soldier had just entered his car, parked near the Waikele Neighborhood Park at the corner of Lumiauau Street and Hanina Street, at about 12:15 a.m. yesterday when a man threw a brick through the driver's window.
The soldier told police he fought off the suspect, who grabbed him and yelled at him to get out. Police said another man then threw a brick through the passenger window. The soldier told police he was able to start his car and drive away to Schofield Barracks, where he reported the incident to military police.
HONOLULU
Escapee returns to prison after treatment
Prison inmate Christopher Perkins is back at the Oahu Community Correctional Center after being treated at Queen's Medical Center for numerous cuts suffered in a failed escape attempt yesterday.Prison officials said Perkins, 36, was in the recreation yard when he bolted for the fence on the Makai side of the yard about 11:35 a.m. But Perkins snagged himself about halfway up the 16-foot fence on razor wire.
He suffered numerous cuts on his arms legs and body, said Clayton Frank, OCCC Warden. "The funny thing is if he had gotten over the fence, he would have wound up in another closed area," Frank said.
Perkins has been at OCCC since May 7 awaiting trial for burglary.
Woman arrested for alleged machete threats
A 77-year-old Honolulu woman was arrested yesterday after she allegedly threatened to kill her husband with a machete.At about 5:30 a.m. the suspect and her 81-year-old husband had an argument at their home on North School Street, police said. The argument escalated when the woman grabbed a machete and threatened her husband, police said.
A neighbor intervened and police were called. The suspect was released pending investigation.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Big Isle man, 42, drowns during snorkeling trip
KAILUA-KONA >> A Holualoa man apparently drowned yesterday while snorkeling in Kailua Bay, fire rescue personnel said. He was identified as John Center, 42.At midmorning, Center was snorkeling with a friend who returned to shore ahead of him and discovered he was missing, the Fire Department said.
A bystander spotted Center floating in the bay about 20 minutes later, the Fire Department said. Bystanders brought the body to shore.
The death was the second apparent drowning on the Big Island in three days.
