Honolulu Police Detective Earl Koanui Jr. has been named one of the country's Top Cops by the National Association of Police Organizations. Isle detective nets
national Top Cop awardHe will be honored later this month by NAPO and the International Association of Chiefs of Police in separate ceremonies. Koanui was responsible for the breakup of six gambling enterprises on Oahu and the arrest of 32 people by posing as a dirty cop for nearly three years.
He also is the Honolulu Police Department's 2001 Officer of the Year.
Vehicle thefts lead 10 percent isle crime jump
Although the number of murders in Hawaii declined by more than 20 percent, overall serious crimes in the state increased by nearly 10 percent last year, with motor vehicle thefts alone jumping 30 percent over 1999, according to statistics released yesterday by the FBI.The total number of murders, burglaries, robberies, thefts, rapes and car thefts reported in Hawaii in 2000 was 62,987, compared with 57,324 crimes reported in 1999, an increase of 9.9 percent, the FBI reported.
The rate of incidents per 100,000 people increased 7.5 percent, the FBI said.
Property and theft crimes in Hawaii all rose last year, with the highest increase for motor vehicle thefts -- 6,114 crimes were reported in 2000, compared with 4,660 in 1999, an increase of 31.2 percent.
Burglaries numbered 10,665 in 2000, up 13.2 percent over 1999. The burglary rate per 100,000 people was 880.3 -- 10.8 percent higher than in 1999.
Thirty-five murders were reported in Hawaii last year, a rate of 2.9 percent per 100,000 people, down 22.2 percent from the year before.
Nationally, the FBI said the number of people murdered was down less than 0.1 percent to 15,517 in 2000 but that rate is still the lowest point in 35 years.
Overall, the FBI said, Americans were victims of slightly fewer serious crimes.
The report marked the nation's ninth consecutive year of fewer reported crimes and a 22 percent decrease since 1991. It also found the smallest year-to-year overall decline in the same period, suggesting that the dramatic downward spiral since the early 1990s may have hit a plateau.
3 new dengue cases are confirmed on Maui
State Health Department officials said the number of confirmed dengue fever cases increased by three to 62 yesterday.Out of the 150 samples tested, health officials said three people tested positive for the mosquito-spread virus.
Health officials said all three were from Hana, Maui.
Of the 62 cases, 52 are on Maui, six on Oahu, four on Kauai.
Kaneohe Marine injured in accident in Japan
A Kaneohe Marine is in critical condition with head and chest injuries after he was injured Friday in a Humvee accident in Japan, authorities said.The accident occurred at Camp Fuji and involved three other Marines who were not seriously injured and were passengers in the Humvee.
Corrections and clarifications
>> Fire Capt. Paul Noyes was quoted in connection with a fatal kite surfing accident at Mokuleia Beach Park Sunday. His last name was misspelled as Noes in a story on Page A-4 yesterday.>> Michael Haxton pleaded guilty to money laundering; a headline Saturday on Page A-5 cited the wrong offense. Also, the story was correct in stating that Haxton was the former president of Hawaii Credit Counseling Service but incorrect in saying that he was also the former owner.
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 staffLEEWARD OAHU Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
Fire causes $50,000 in damage to Aiea condo
Honolulu fire officials are investigating a fire that caused $50,000 damage yesterday to a high-rise condominium in Aiea.Seven engine companies and a battalion chief responded to the two-alarm fire at 98-450 Koauka Loop.
The first alarm was at 7:44 a.m. The fire damaged the bedroom of Apartment 1502. No one was home at the time.
Man who broke into store in Pearl City sought
Police are looking for a man who smashed through the front door of a Pearl City jewelry store last night and tried to force the owner to open the store safe.Police said the Hawaiian Jewel Gallery at 803 Kamehameha Hwy. was closed when a man smashed the front door window with a crowbar and entered the store about 6:40 p.m.
The business owner, a 33-year-old woman, was in a back office at the time. Police said as the man tried to get the woman to open the store safe she started screaming and struggling with the suspect.
The man fled when passersby were attracted by the noise. The store owner suffered a bruise to her face and cuts to her feet from the broken glass.
The suspect is believed to be in his mid 20s, 5-foot-6 inches with a slim build. Police said he had a white cloth covering his face.
WAIKIKI
Ala Wai boat owner held in alleged dog attack
A 47-year-old woman was arrested on two counts of attempted assault over the weekend after she allegedly turned two dogs loose on a 53-year-old man, police said.The incident occurred at 8:05 p.m. Saturday at the Ala Wai Boat Harbor after the man argued with the woman about allowing her dog loose without a leash.
The woman attacked the man with a metal pipe, police said, but the victim was able to grab the pipe from her grasp, causing minor injuries to her hands.
Police said the woman then went to the gate of the boat she lives on, released the dogs and instructed them to attack.
The man quickly jumped onto the roof of a car and told his wife to call the police.
Police arrested the woman. Her dog, a large Labrador retriever, was removed by the Hawaiian Humane Society.
Because the other dog belonged to another boat owner, who had no part in the attack, it was not removed.
HONOLULU
Makiki man arrested in failed robbery
A 33-year-old Makiki man was arrested last night in an alleged foiled home invasion robbery. Police said witnesses reported hearing what they thought was an argument going on in an apartment at 1568 Miller St. about 11 p.m. The victims, two 41-year-old women, however, said they were being robbed.Police said officers arrived as the incident was still in progress. The officers found the suspect inside the apartment and arrested him on robbery, burglary, kidnapping, terroristic threatening and drug charges.
Police want to question felon in kidnapping
Honolulu police want to question a convicted felon for allegedly kidnapping a 16-year-old Kaimuki male last month. Police said Vernon D.K. Johnson Jr. demanded $600 from the victim's grandparents for the teenager's release on Sept. 27. The victim was released the same day unharmed in the Pearl City area.
Johnson, 21, also is wanted on arrest warrants for probation revocation for a previous felony theft conviction and contempt of court, police said. He is believed to be moving between relatives' homes in the Salt Lake area.
Johnson is described as 5-feet-7, 160 pounds, with dark brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information about Johnson is asked to call Detective Nani Kaopua at 529-3085, CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME on a cellular phone.
Police release photos of purse-snatching suspect
CrimeStoppers and the Honolulu Police Department have released new pictures of a man who allegedly robbed a 29-year-old female last month.
Police have new surveillance photos from nearby bank security cameras of the suspect, who approached the victim near City Bank in Kapahulu on Sept. 23 and asked for a ride because his bicycle had a flat tire.
The victim agreed and drove the suspect to 2409 Bingham St. Once the suspect got his bicycle out of the vehicle, he grabbed the victim's purse, punched her and threatened to hurt her sleeping baby in the back seat.
The suspect fled toward University Avenue on the bicycle.
The suspect is described as in his late teens, 5-feet-6 and 140 pounds, with black, crewcut hair and a tan complexion.
He last was seen wearing a white short-sleeve T-shirt, blue denim cargo pants and "Wolfe Island" slippers. He was also described as riding an "older" model bicycle.
Anyone with information on this case is asked to call CrimeStoppers.
Hazardous-materials calls total 112 over 10 days
The Honolulu Fire Department released updated statistics yesterday on calls that hazardous-materials crews have responded to.HazMat crews responded to 112 incidents over the last 10 days, most of them involving a "suspicious package" or an "unknown chemical substance," HFD officials said.
Prior to these latest numbers, HFD's highest response rate was 17 incidents over a 30-day period, from Sept. 11 to Oct. 11 of this year. Fire officials said that record was broken in a 24-hour period on Oct. 15 when HazMat responded to 18 calls.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Body of California man found floating off Maui
LAHAINA >> The body of a 79-year-old man was found Sunday floating in waters at Honokaena Cove in West Maui. Authorities said the body of William McWilliams, of Santa Cruz, Calif., was discovered around 4 p.m., about 14 minutes after authorities received a report of a missing swimmer.
