Condominium association manager arrested for theft
Police arrested the 41-year-old manager of a Waianae condominium association yesterday who allegedly stole $150,000 of its money over a period of time.Police said the woman is suspected of using her position with the Waianae Community Development Project Association to gain unauthorized control of the money up to Oct. 30, 1999.
The theft occurred at the association office at 85-156 Ala Walua St.
The woman was released pending further investigation.
Historic status sought for South Maui region
WAILUKU >> A group of native Hawaiian kupuna plans to seek state and federal historic designation for the Puu Olai region in South Maui and encourage stricter enforcement of anti-nudity laws at nearby Little Beach.Na Kupuna O Maui attorney J.P. Schmidt said the group wanted to preserve the culturally sacred area and was offended by the nudity on Little Beach.
Schmidt said that according to Hawaiians, legends describe Puu Olai as the birthplace of the demigod Maui.
The group plans to gather information to file petitions for the designations with the state Department of Land & Natural Resources and national parks.
Officer shot in vest released from hospital
WAILUKU >> A police officer whose protective vest stopped a bullet from an assailant was released yesterday from Maui Memorial Medical Center.Donald Nakooka, 31, spent a couple of nights at the hospital for observation after he was shot in the abdomen Tuesday during a traffic stop along Honoapiilani Highway in Kapalua.
"He's still in pain," acting Police Lt. Jamie Becraft said. "He's in good spirits."
Becraft said Nakooka and his physicians would decide when he would be able to return to work. Nakooka did not require surgery but was left with a bruise the size of a silver dollar on his abdomen, police said.
Detectives were still looking for an old gray, metallic or silver four-door car, possibly the size of a Chevrolet Caprice, that fled the shooting shortly after 1:55 p.m.
>> The American Heart Association does not take a position on the state's needle exchange program, which hands out sterile needles to drug users. An article on Page A3 Wednesday did not make clear that employee Cindy Sharp was expressing her own views on the program and not those of the association. Corrections and clarifications
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.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffLEEWARD OAHU Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
Ewa Beach woman identified in fatal crash
The medical examiner has identified the woman who died in a one-car traffic accident in Waikele on Tuesday as Wendy Silva, 34, of Ewa Beach.Silva was a passenger in a vehicle traveling Koko Head-bound on the H-1 freeway when she was ejected after the vehicle crashed into an embankment and overturned. Police said she was not wearing a seat belt.
Silva was taken to Queen's Medical Center, where she died Wednesday morning. The driver of the car, a 39-year-old man, was also ejected from the vehicle. He was taken to Queen's in serious condition.
HONOLULU
Suspect, 39, who died in H-1 fall is identified
The medical examiner has identified the man who plunged to his death from the airport viaduct section of the H-1 freeway Tuesday as 39-year-old Melvin Vigilla.Police said Vigilla was trying to jump from the freeway express lane offramp to the viaduct when he fell 40 feet to Nimitz Highway below.
Vigilla had just crashed his truck on the offramp after leading state deputy sheriffs on a chase through Mapunapuna. Deputies tried to pull Vigilla over for driving erratically on Lagoon Drive.
Police seek man who broke into soda machines
Police are asking for the public's help in finding a man in his late teens or early 20s who broke into five Coca Cola machines on the Maryknoll High School campus.The break-ins occurred at the campus sometime between 4 p.m. Nov. 21 and 7 a.m. Nov. 26, police said.
A surveillance camera caught the suspect on Thanksgiving at 5:04 a.m. He is described as 5 feet 9 inches tall, having a medium build, wearing a dark baseball cap turned backwards, dark T-shirt, baggy jeans and shoes. Witnesses may call Detective Walter Calistro at 547-7213. Anonymous calls may be made to 955-8300 or *CRIME on a cell phone.
Waikiki
Waikiki ABC store clerk foils robbery attempt
A 44-year-old man was arrested for allegedly trying to rob an ABC Store in Waikiki but walked away empty-handed.Police said the man entered the store at 205 Lewers St. about 9 p.m. and took some items to the cashier. After the cashier rang up the items, police said the man picked up the bag of merchandise, handed the cashier a note threatening to harm her and attempted to leave the store. The cashier was apparently not intimidated by the note and was able to take the bag of merchandise away from the man before he left the store. Police arrested him a short distance away.
