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Police, Fire, Courts

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Hearing to discuss Pupukea net fishing

Proposed rule amendments that would allow use of nets to take opelu in summer and akule in winter at Pupukea Marine Life Conservation District will be the subject of a public hearing June 20.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources hearing will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Sunset Beach Elementary School, 59-360 Kamehameha Highway.

The change is being proposed in response to a request from commercial net fishermen for this exemption. The main amendment is to allow the use of nets to take opelu during August and September, and to take akule during November and December in only the Waimea Bay portion of the Marine Life Conservation District.

Current rules established in March prohibit fishing in the district, which now includes Waimea Bay, except for hook-and-line fishing from the shore of Waimea Bay.

Written testimony will be received until July 8 at: Division of Aquatic Resources, 1151 Punchbowl St., Rm. 330, Honolulu, HI 96813; faxed to 587-0115; e-mailed to dlnr_aquatics@exec.state.hi.us; or comments may be called in to 587-0092.

To request additional information or a copy of the proposed rule changes, or special assistance at the hearing, contact the Division of Aquatic Resources by phoning or writing. Rule amendments also may be viewed online at www.state.hi.us/dlnr/dar

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Corrections and clarifications >> Videographer Alan Sutterfield was incorrectly identified as Alan Sutter in a photo caption that ran on Page D1 in Thursday's Today section. 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.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Motorcycle crash kills 2 and injures 2 on Maui

Two people were killed in a crash involving three automobiles and a motorcycle at about 7:41 p.m. Friday 1.8 miles west of the scenic lookout near Lahaina, Maui.

Robert Gompers, 34, of Haiku, the driver of the Honda motorcycle, and Allison Courter, 21, of Lahaina and formerly of Sacramento, Calif., were pronounced dead at the scene, the Maui Police Department reported.

The motorcycle was traveling in the Wailuku direction on Honoapiilani Highway when it apparently drifted into the Lahaina-bound lane, colliding with a Ford Ranger, police said.

The motorcycle and its riders then were struck by a Dodge Neon traveling westbound toward Lahaina on Honoapiilani Highway, according to the report.

The Dodge crossed the centerline and hit a Honda Accord traveling toward Wailuku on the highway. After the Dodge and Honda Accord collided, the Dodge struck the mountainside and flipped over onto the passenger side of the vehicle.

The 33-year-old driver of the Dodge, a Kahului resident, and her 27-year-old passenger, of Wailuku, were taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center with minor injuries. A six-year-old in the car wasn't injured.

The 29-year-old driver of the Ford Ranger and 22-year-old driver of the Honda Accord, both Lahaina residents, weren't injured.

The operator and passenger of the motorcycle weren't wearing helmets, police said. All occupants of the cars involved were wearing seatbelts.

The accident forced the closure of the highway, stranding hundreds motorists in both directions.

HONOLULU

Sleeping suspect found in car stolen off test drive

A man who didn't return a truck to a Honolulu car dealership after a test drive last week was found sleeping in the auto early yesterday and arrested.

The man, 24, took the Chevrolet pick-up truck on June 1 to drive it around the block, police said.

He never returned.

At around 6:30 a.m. yesterday a Pearl City officer on routine patrol came across a "known street character" sleeping in the missing truck, verified the truck was stolen and arrested the suspect without incident.

Kaimuki woman, 84, dies after parking lot accident

An 84-year-old Kaimuki woman died at the Queen's Medical Center after a car door knocked her down, causing her to hit her head Friday night.

According to police, the woman had been a passenger in a car driven by her 85-year-old husband. Her husband had pulled into a private driveway, but seeing that the lot was crowded, he backed out of the driveway because he was blocking the sidewalk. He did not notice that his wife had started to get out of the car and she was hit by the door.

Speed and alcohol were not factors. Police said the man was hard of hearing and may not have heard his wife get out of the car.

LEEWARD OAHU

Jet ski mishap strands teenagers off Ewa Beach

Three teenage visitors from the mainland were airlifted to safety from waters off Ewa Beach yesterday after the jet ski that was pulling them stalled.

Two adults on the jet ski were brought back to shore by a nearby catamaran, said Honolulu Fire Department Capt. Kenison Tejada.

The incident was reported at about 1:30 p.m. and all five were ashore by 3 p.m., Tejada said. The two adults on the jet ski had been pulling the teenage girls on a tube when the rope got caught in the engine, killing it, Tejada said.

The group was stranded about a half-mile from shore and had drifted about half-a-mile down the beach. No one was injured.

NORTH SHORE

Alleged sexual assault comes after Kahuku ride

A 39-year-old man was arrested Friday night in the Kahuku area for the sexual assault and kidnapping of a 34-year-old woman, police said.

She told police she accepted a ride from the man about 8:30 p.m. and was taken to Kahuku Sugar Mill.

He threatened to leave her on the side of the road if she didn't agree to his sexual demands, she said.

She was able to escape from the car and contact a security guard who called police. They arrested the suspect about 11 p.m.