HPD SECURITY BEEFED UP
Army tries to ease traffic at Fort Shafter and Tripler
The Army initiated shuttle bus services and new work schedules this week to try to cope with the traffic problems at Fort Shafter and Tripler Army Medical Center.With a few exceptions, all nonresidents at Fort Shafter must park at Fort Shafter flats and take a shuttle bus to the main post. The shuttles will run from 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, departing at 30-minute intervals. Identification cards will be checked. The shuttles will stop at the Corps of Engineers parking lot, Richardson Theater and the gas station parking lot.
At Tripler, work schedules were adjusted to decrease parking and traffic congestion.
Tripler staff living at Fort Shafter and Aliamanu Military Reservation are being encouraged to use shuttle bus service, with the first bus leaving each morning at 4:05 during the week. The afternoon shuttle runs start at 3 and end at 8 p.m.
Mass Casualty Exercise to be held at Tripler
Tripler Army Medical Center has scheduled a pre-dawn Mass Casualty Exercise tomorrow to comply with standards required by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.Emergency vehicles will not use lights or sirens during the three-hour exercise, and patient care will not be affected, according to the Army.
Tripler received Accreditation with Commendation in 1998 during its most recent standards survey.
The next survey, taken every three years, is scheduled before the end of the year. The commission requires at least one such exercise per year.
Brunch on the Beach in Waikiki slated for Sunday
The city's third monthly Brunch on the Beach program takes place Sunday in Waikiki and will feature a program to help families of victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the mainland.The outdoor dining event will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Kalakaua Avenue between Kaiulani and Liliuokalani streets will be closed to vehicles to make way for an outdoor cafe that will feature food from a dozen Waikiki establishments. Na Leo Pilimehana and the Royal Hawaiian Band will perform.
IN COURT
5 years' probation for driver in fatal crash
A 28-year-old man who was driving while intoxicated and crashed his car on the H-1 freeway, killing his passenger and best friend, was sentenced yesterday to five' years probation.Kyle Kamaiopili pleaded guilty under a plea agreement to first-degree negligent homicide and driving without a license in the crash that killed William J. Pohano, 23.
Kamaiopili was accused of speeding and striking a street sign, call box and utility pole near Manager's Drive in February 1999. Kamaiopili's blood-alcohol level was tested at 0.095 percent, above the legal limit of 0.08 percent.
William Harrison, Kamaiopili's attorney, said his client made a terrible mistake and did not intend to cause what happened. Kamaiopili had a drinking problem that may have stemmed from a learning disability that he has since overcome, he said.
Pohano's mother believes Kamaiopili is truly sorry and asks only that he pay restitution and get treatment for his drinking problem, Harrison said.
In a letter to the court, Pohano's mother said Kamaiopili loved her son as his own family and will suffer every day over what happened.
Circuit Judge Michael Town ordered Kamaiopili to pay $2,300 restitution to the Pohano family and revoked his license during the period of his probation.
Kauai barber convicted of several tax violations
A Kauai barber was convicted yesterday of three misdemeanor counts of operating a business without a general excise tax license and failing to file his annual general excise tax returns for 1998 and 1999.Harry Ikeda had argued at trial before Kauai District Judge Frank Rothschild that he was not subject to the general excise tax based on his constitutional rights.
Ikeda faces fines of no more than $25,000 or no more than one year in prison, or both, for each violation. Sentencing was set for Dec. 4.
Woman wins $975,000 in malpractice lawsuit
A Circuit Court jury has awarded almost $975,000 to a Kapahulu woman in a medical malpractice suit against a Honolulu gastroenterologist.The jury deliberated for one day before returning a verdict Tuesday in favor of Cindy L. Au, 43.
Au claimed that Glenn M.L. Pang performed an endoscopic procedure on her at St. Francis Medical Center in 1997 but failed to inform her of the risks. Also, while she was sedated, he performed an electrosurgical procedure without her consent.
The jury found that complications from the procedure caused a painful and potentially fatal inflammatory digestive disease, according to Au's attorney, Roy J. Bell III.
Au has been hospitalized nearly a dozen times since 1997 because of complications and also underwent major surgery and treatment at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
Man indicted for assault under age-of-consent law
An Oahu grand jury indicted a 38-year-old man yesterday on two counts of first-degree assault involving a 15-year-old girl.The man is believed to be the first to be charged under the new law passed by the 2001 Legislature raising the age of legal consent to 16.
Edison B. Lameg was observed having sex with the minor in his truck Oct. 6 near the Dillingham Airfield in Mokuleia. The officer was checking out the truck after first noticing the truck's license and safety sticker had expired.
The girl, a second cousin of his, apparently had been seeing him for about a year.
Lameg, a computer server operator, was released after posting $25,000 bail.
Pair fined for sinking craft in Maunalua Bay
Circuit Judge Karen Ahn fined Honolulu residents August Van Biene and Yuji Hattori $5,000 each for negligent violation of water pollution.Van Biene and Hattori were indicted in April for sinking a personal watercraft, a Jet Ski, in Maunalua Bay. The watercraft was registered to their employer, Marine Sports Inc.
Under state law, discarding equipment into state waters is punishable by a penalty of up to $50,000 per day.
Kasuaki Kaji, owner of Marine Sports Inc., also was indicted and a bench warrant issued for his arrest. Anyone who has information on Kaji's whereabouts is asked to call the state Department of the Attorney General at 586-1240.
Big Isle state worker is charged with theft
KAILUA-KONA >> The former state district manager of small boat harbors on the Big Island has been indicted on five counts of theft and attempted theft, the Attorney General's Office said.Jeffrey S. Bearman, 44, surrendered to Kona police Tuesday, the Attorney General's Office said.
The indictment accuses Bearman of stealing wages, state-purchased interisland plane coupons and state car rental coupons from January 1999 to April 2001.
Bearman was placed on supervised release following his arrest. Arraignment and plea was scheduled for Nov. 21.
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Managing Editor Frank Bridgewater at 529-4791 or email him at fbridgewater@starbulletin.com. Corrections and clarifications
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staff
Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
LEEWARD OAHU
19-year-old Waianae man accused of sexual assault
A 19-year-old Waianae man has been charged with first-degree sexual assault for allegedly having sex with a 12-year-old girl.Police arrested and charged David Nunes Tuesday after the mother of the girl told police her daughter was "sexually harmed" by Nunes.
His bail is $20,000. The alleged offense occurred from Aug. 16 to Sept. 18.
Fire Department still fighting huge brush fire
The Honolulu Fire Department's Air One helicopter dropped water once again in Waianae Valley yesterday as efforts to put out a large brush fire in the area continued.The brush fire started Monday afternoon and burned 700 to 800 acres before firefighters managed to get the flames under control Monday night.
Fire officials stopped operations at sundown yesterday and said they would resume putting out hot spots again today.
Leeward firefighters were called out to fight another brush fire in the same area at about 7:50 last night, however, it is unknown as to whether that fire was started by embers from Monday's fire.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Big Island police warn of credit card swindle
HILO >> Police are warning about a new scam in which a caller asks people to make an electronic deposit of $250 with "United Credit Company" in Florida to obtain a credit card. Legitimate card companies do not ask for cash, police said.
