Former priest pleads innocent in sex assault
A former Roman Catholic priest, who was extradited to Michigan from his home in Hawaii, was arraigned yesterday on criminal charges of sexual assault.Robert Burkholder, 82, appeared in 17th District Court in front of Judge Charlotte Wirth in Wayne County. An innocent plea was entered on his behalf.
He is charged with two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct. Burkholder, who lives in Leeward Oahu, is accused of assaulting a 13-year-old Detroit area boy in 1986 when the two were on a trip to Hawaii.
His preliminary examination is scheduled for Nov. 12 at 11 a.m. At that time, Wirth also is to assess whether Burkholder is mentally competent to stand trial.
Burkholder's attorney, Irving Tukel of Bingham Farms, has said his client has dementia.
Liquor investigator claims death threats
A city liquor investigator was told that anyone who squealed on the Honolulu Liquor Commission's corrupt practices "could expect to be killed," according to a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court.Charles J. Wiggins, a liquor investigator who testified before a federal grand jury that later brought an indictment against commission employees in May, filed suit under the Hawaii Whistleblowers Protection Act on Friday, alleging he was retaliated against or threatened for cooperating with federal authorities.
Named as defendants in the suit were the city; the Honolulu Liquor Commission; John Spierling, chairman of the commission; Wallace Weatherwax, liquor control administrator; four supervisors, six fellow investigators; and Thomas Riddle, workers' compensation administrator with the Department of Budget and Fiscal Services.
The six investigators and two of the supervisors were named in the indictment and charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering and extortion.
Dave Sayre of PR Works, which does work for the Liquor Commission, said Weatherwax and Spierling have not seen the lawsuit and referred calls to city attorneys who could not be reached for immediate comment.
Couple faces prison in girl's sex assault
Prosecutors are expected to recommend to the Hawaii Paroling Authority that a 38-year-old Kapolei man who admitted to sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl serve no more than five years in prison.Victor Flores, 38, an engineer, pleaded guilty yesterday under an agreement to first-degree sexual assault on the girl, who gave birth to his son in August 2001.
First-degree assault is punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment.
His wife, Celeste Flores, also 38 and a businesswoman who travels back and forth to Rota in the Northern Mariana Islands, pleaded guilty to second-degree sexual assault and being an accomplice to second-degree sexual assault by soliciting her husband to assault the girl, according to an indictment filed in February 2001.
Under a joint recommendation, the prosecutor and defense attorney will also ask the parole board that she spend no more than two years in prison.
The couple were indicted and arrested after the girl told school officials that she was pregnant by Victor Flores and that Celeste Flores, also pregnant at the time, knew about their sexual relationship.
The Floreses will be sentenced Feb. 25.
Beverage industry begins kicking in to recycling fund
The Hawaii beverage industry yesterday began accounting for how many cans and bottles it is selling, as the first step of enacting Hawaii's bottle legislation.For the next two years, the industry will put a half-cent per can or bottle sold into the bottle bill fund, which will amount to more than $60,000 a month, said Gary Gill, state Department of Health deputy director for the environment.
In 2004, the amount per container going into the fund will increase to 1 cent as the program gears up for its Jan. 1, 2005, start date. That's when retailers will start charging customers 5 cents more per container and consumers can get a 5-cent refund for returning empty containers to a recycling operation.
The nonrefundable half-cent or 1 cent collected from the beverage industry, as well as revenue from any unreturned containers, will be used to pay for recycling costs, Gill said.
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>> The Japanese Cultural Center plans to sell its Moiliili building to get out of debt. A story on page A1 and a graphic on A6 yesterday said incorrectly that it was the Japanese Chamber of Commerce that was selling the building. 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 staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
LEEWARD OAHU
Motorcycle-car crash lands man in hospital
A 47-year-old man was taken to Queen's Medical Center this morning in critical condition after he crashed his motorcycle head-on into a car in Pearl City.The collision occurred about 6:20 a.m. on Moanalua Road near the Hoolaulea Street intersection.
Vehicles were diverted to nearby streets and morning commuter traffic was slowed to a crawl while police closed the intersection for investigation.
NORTH SHORE
Police investigate Waialua mailbox blast
Police are looking for the person or persons who blew up a mailbox in Waialua this morning with an explosive device.No one was injured in the 2:50 a.m. explosion at 66-075 Waialua Beach Access Rd. Police have not determined what type of explosive device was used.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Visitor, 55, dies after scuba diving off Kauai
LIHUE >> James Allen Metsger, 55, of Tucson, Ariz., collapsed and died after returning from a scuba dive off Kauai's west shore Monday morning, Kauai police said yesterday.Metsger was pronounced dead at Kauai Veteran's Memorial Hospital.
Big Isle man charged with assaulting woman
Big Island police charged a 21-year-old man yesterday in connection with the kidnapping and assault of a 59-year-old woman in Kau on Sunday.Derek S.K. Fontes was charged with kidnapping, assault, terroristic threatening, violation of a court order, three firearm violations and promoting a detrimental drug.
The victim told police that Fontes tied her up, threatened her and struck her in the head with a rifle. Fontes was being held without bail.
WINDWARD OAHU
Police probe shooting of Kaneohe peacocks
Police and the Hawaiian Humane Society want help finding the person who has been shooting peacocks in Temple Valley.Residents along Halemanu Street reported that four peacocks were shot with pellet guns between Aug. 1 and Sept. 25. In early August, two peacocks were found dead. A third peacock was brought to an animal shelter with a leg shattered by pellets.
In the latest incident, a peacock, struck by a car and taken to a veterinarian, had more than 30 pellets in its body.
Anyone with information should call Hawaiian Humane Society investigator Darrell Bueno at 946-2187, ext. 360, or CrimeStoppers at 955-8300, *CRIME on your cellular phone.
HONOLULU
Man dies after being run over by forklift
An 83-year-old man died yesterday after he was struck and run over by a forklift carrying a load at the Honolulu Airport.Police said the man was crossing an airport access road on the Ewa end of the airport about 4 p.m. when he was struck. He was taken to Kaiser Moanalua Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
