A 19-year-old Schofield Barracks man was in critical condition at Queen's Medical Center from injuries he sustained in a traffic accident this morning in Pearl City. Crash critically hurts
SUV passenger, 19Police said the man was in the back seat of a sport utility vehicle making a left turn from the eastbound lanes of Kamehameha Highway onto Acacia Road just before 2 a.m. when a pickup truck traveling in the opposite direction on the highway ran a red light and collided with the SUV head-on.
Police said the man was ejected from the SUV onto the roadway. He was not wearing a seat belt. The driver of the SUV, a 19-year-old Schofield Barracks woman, was taken to Queen's, where she is reported in fair condition.
The driver of the pickup truck, a 42-year-old Kapolei man, is also in fair condition at Queen's.
Police said the driver of the pickup truck may also have been speeding.
A 68-year-old man is in critical condition at Queen's Medical Center after he was struck by a van this morning while crossing Old Farrington Highway near Fort Weaver Road. Man critically injured
after being hit by vanThe collision occurred about 6:30 a.m.
Police said the victim had just crossed into the eastbound lane of Farrington Highway when a struck by a 29-year-old man driving east.
The victim was taken by helicopter to Queen's with head trauma and internal injuries, police said.
Weather Service issues funnel cloud warning
The National Weather Service issued a funnel cloud warning for Oahu after two were spotted yesterday afternoon.Funnel clouds can cause damage and injuries if they touch the ground and become tornadoes.
"If it doesn't reach the ground then it just looks like an interesting phenomenon," said meteorologist Bob Farrell.
"We see about a half a dozen or so funnel clouds here in Hawaii, whereas we see about one or two tornadoes a decade."
Farrell said Federal Aviation Administration observers at the airport reported seeing a funnel cloud somewhere between the airport and Diamond Head. Another was spotted above Aina Haina.
Funnel clouds over the ocean are called water spouts.
The National Weather Service warns that if people see a funnel cloud approaching, they should either get out of the way or move under something sturdy.
Those caught in an open area are advised to lie flat on the ground with their hands over their head and to stay away from windows.
Medical examiner IDs sailor swept off ship
The Honolulu medical examiner has identified the merchant seaman who died after falling overboard in waters 1,400 miles northwest of Honolulu as Reynaldo Andres, 39, of the Philippines.An autopsy was expected to be completed today.
Police said Andres was performing duties aboard the Japanese vessel Island Oasis on Jan. 2 when he was swept off the deck and into the ocean. He was unresponsive when fellow crew members pulled him out of the water. The vessel pulled into Honolulu on Monday.
Mililani park changes to be discussed
Improvements to Kamaio Neighborhood Park in Mililani will be discussed at a public informational meeting Jan. 14.The City Council has appropriated $200,000 for a bark park, shade trees, an irrigation system and miscellaneous park improvements requested by the Mililani vision team for the park across Kamaio Street.
The city is requesting further feedback from neighbors and community members.
The meeting will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. in the multipurpose building at Mililani District Park.
If you are unable to attend the meeting and would like to express any concerns or questions, send your statements to: Council member Rene Mansho, City Hall, 530 S. King St., Honolulu 96813.
WCC seeks input on improvements
Windward Community College will host a meeting Jan. 16 to find ways to better serve the community and to discuss leadership at the college.The session is sponsored by the Provost Search Advisory Committee. Community group representatives and Windward Oahu residents are invited.
"The college is at a crossroads with exciting prospects for the future," said Herb Lee, former Kaneohe Business Group president and a member of the search committee.
"We're inviting people to share their vision for WCC and the kind of leader they want for the college. The campus has the potential of becoming a real community center for the Windward side."
The meeting will be held in WCC's Hale Kuhina building, Room 115, at 7 p.m. For more details, call Lee at 363-3261 or Libby Young at 235-7396.
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 staffLEEWARD OAHU Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
Police confirm identity of Kunia van fire victim
The identity of the woman who burned in a van in a Kunia farm lot on New Year's Eve has been confirmed as 40-year-old Dawn Ubando, said Lt. Bill Kato of Honolulu Police Department homicide detail.He said the investigation into Ubando's death is continuing, but it has not been classified a homicide.
The cause of the fire is awaiting the autopsy, said Capt. Kenison Tejada, Honolulu Fire Department spokesman. The Honolulu Medical Examiner's Office is awaiting test results to determine the cause of death.
A 41-year-old Haleiwa man identified the woman as his common-law wife. The Garst Seed Co. employee told police he was on another part of the company's farm lot at 94-880 Kunia Road, when the fire started about 6 a.m. Dec. 31.
He said he and the woman sometimes slept in the van to keep pigs away from the crop at night.
HONOLULU
Information sought in New Year's arson case
CrimeStoppers and the Honolulu Police Department are asking for the public's assistance regarding a burglary and arson case that occurred on Jan. 1 at a Puu Alani Way residence.Police said the homeowner secured the home and left early in the morning on New Year's Day. Police said the man was seen parked outside the home at 7:30 a.m. and a few hours later was seen backing his vehicle into the carport.
At 11:15 a.m. neighbors heard a loud boom. After a second loud boom, neighbors said they saw the man driving away with several boxes in his vehicle.
Further investigation showed that the house had been burglarized and searched prior to the fire being set in multiple rooms.
Police describe the suspect as a male in his 40s, medium build, brown complexion and was last seen wearing a brown baseball cap, tank top, denim shorts, and slippers.
The suspect's vehicle is described an older model brown or blue-gray color 4-door station wagon, possibly a Nissan or Toyota.
Anyone with information may contact Detective James Anderson at 529-3436 or call the CrimeStoppers hotline at 955-8300, or *CRIME on a cellular phone.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Man shot at twice while driving on Big Island
Hilo police detectives are investigating a Monday evening shooting in which a man was wounded while driving his car.Puna patrol officers responded to a call from the Pahoa Fire Station about the gunshot wound victim at 8:13 p.m. On arrival, the officers found the 45-year-old male victim with a gunshot wound to his left arm and another grazing wound to his chest.
Police said the victim had been fired upon by an unknown suspect while he was driving along Kalapana Road. A male passenger in the vehicle was not injured in the shooting.
The victim was taken to Hilo Medical Center, where he was in satisfactory condition. Police are looking for a suspect in a white minivan with purple trim.
Anyone with information about the vehicle or the suspect may call Detective Albert Cortez at 961-2379 or the police non-emergency number at 935-3311. Those who wish to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona.
