Boys face suspension in school gun incident
HILO >> Big Island education officials are recommending that all six seventh-grade students involved in a gun incident at Keaau Middle School on the Big Island be suspended for one year.The boys have been under "crisis suspension" since last week, after officials discovered that one boy brought two guns to school on Nov. 14 & 15 and passed them to five other boys. Two of them carried the guns home, said Keaau principal Janice Hiraoka. The boys' names were not released.
Area Superintendent Judith Saranchock said she's recommending the boys be suspended according to the state Gun-Free Schools Act. Saranchock said yesterday she's conferring with attorneys concerning the suspension order.
Once it's signed, the students would have five days to appeal the ruling to state Superintendent Patricia Hamamoto.
Meanwhile, police say they plan to file a criminal investigation report with the county prosecutor for possible charges.
Maj. David Kawauchi said the probe is focusing on possible firearms violations and could include more suspects.
Airport parking limited over Thanksgiving
Parking will be limited at airport lots during the Thanksgiving holiday, the state advises, and travelers should arrange to be picked up, dropped off or take taxis.Other travel tips from the state include:
>> Try the overseas terminal parking lot if the interisland terminal at Honolulu Airport is full.
>> Passengers should wrap gifts upon arrival at their destination, or ship packages in advance. Wrapped gifts may need to be opened during baggage inspection.
>> Travelers should put film in their carry-on bags because equipment used to screen luggage will damage undeveloped film.
>> Travelers should avoid wearing clothing and accessories with lots of metal that will set off checkpoint alarms.
>> When approaching the passenger security checkpoint, metal objects should be placed in carry-on baggage, laptops should be removed from their cases, and coats and jackets need to be removed.
For more information, visit www.tsatraveltips.us
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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 staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
HONOLULU
Man, 28, arrested in Waikiki Marriott thefts
Police arrested a 28-year-old Ala Moana man about 1:30 a.m. yesterday morning for allegedly burglarizing Waikiki hotel rooms by climbing up balconies.Police said the hotel manager saw the suspect at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort, 2552 Kalakaua Ave., climbing from room to room by means of the balconies. The manager alerted hotel security, who found the man in room 2754, directly below another room that had been burglarized hours earlier.
A 60-year-old woman, the victim in the first case, had tried to stop the man, police said. The hotel manager took her to the suspect, whom she identified, police said.
Woman held in robbery of First Hawaiian Bank
Police arrested a 31-year-old woman downtown for allegedly robbing the Chinatown branch of First Hawaiian Bank yesterday morning.The suspect entered the bank at 2 N. King St. and handed the teller a note demanding money at 11:20 a.m., police said.
After the teller gave the suspect an undisclosed amount of money, the suspect fled.
The woman, who has no local address, was arrested on Smith Street at 11:47 a.m.
Workers block oil spill from storm drain
Ameron Hawaii workers prevented 250 gallons of engine oil, spilled from the back of a passing truck, from going into a storm drain yesterday, fire Capt. Richard Soo said.Soo said the truck, hauling a 250-gallon tank of engine oil and a pallet of motor oil for Island Oil & Supply Co. to Young Brothers for shipping, lost its load about 1:19 p.m. in front of Ameron at 2344 Pahounui Drive off Sand Island Access Road.
PENCO, a private environmental cleanup company contracted by the state, later cleaned up the oil.
WINDWARD OAHU
Butane burner leads to Waimanalo house fire
A fire was started after a Waimanalo woman attempted to use a portable butane burner in her kitchen because her regular stove was not working, according to fire officials.The woman told firefighters she was using the burner when it started burning out of control shortly after noon, said fire Capt. Robert Methered. Damage at 41-1673 Humuka Loop was estimated at $1,000.
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[ COURTS ]
Man pleads no contest in case of secret taping
A man accused of installing a video camera at a Pearl City apartment and taping two women in various stages of undress without their permission pleaded no contest yesterday to two felony counts of invading their privacy.Gary Takeo Kaneshiro, 37, admitted to taping the women, ages 20 and 22, on two occasions in October in their bedroom without their knowledge.
Kaneshiro faces a maximum of five years imprisonment and a $5,000 fine on each count. But he is subject to extended terms that could double the penalties to 10 years imprisonment and a $10,000 fine on each count.
Kaneshiro is expected to seek a deferral of his no-contest plea at sentencing, which would allow him to wipe the conviction off his record if he complies with the court's conditions.
Todd Eddins, Kaneshiro's public defender, says his client lost his job and his marriage fell apart after the incident. Kaneshiro will be sentenced Jan. 27.
Driver guilty of lesser charge in girl's death
A man charged with manslaughter for driving under the influence of drugs and recklessly causing the death of an 11-year-old passenger two years ago was found guilty of the lesser offense of first-degree negligent homicide.Danny Gorman, 38, an aircraft mechanic with the Hawaii Air National Guard, was the first on Oahu to be charged with manslaughter while allegedly driving under the influence of drugs.
Circuit Judge Victoria Marks, who presided over the jury-waived trial, said yesterday that the state had proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Gorman was speeding that night, was changing lanes and was driving under the influence of crystal methamphetamine.
However, she was not convinced that Gorman's conduct was reckless -- that he was aware of the risks and disregarded it.
Deputy Prosecutor Keith Seto said there was no question Gorman knew what he was doing that night -- speeding, weaving in between cars on a rain-slicked highway, cutting sharply in front of other cars -- and disregarded the risk.
Walter Rodby, Gorman's public defender, said he will ask the court to sentence him to probation. Gorman has no criminal record, he said.
Union leader's son denies U.S. charge
Aaron Rutledge, son of Unity House labor leader Anthony "Tony" Rutledge, pleaded not guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court on a charge he persuaded someone to destroy evidence relating to a federal grand jury and related criminal investigation.Rutledge, 32, was indicted last month, exactly five years to the day that federal agents searched his late grandfather Art Rutledge's Kahala residence, Local 5 of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union and Unity House. The agents seized numerous records, cash and computer files.
Rutledge allegedly instructed Donna Sato, his father's former secretary, to destroy records sought in the Oct. 30, 1997, search warrant, said Edward E. Groves, trial attorney with the U.S Department of Justice's Tax Division, who also asked that Rutledge be ordered to have no contact with Sato.
U.S. Magistrate Barry Kurren ordered Rutledge to stay away from Sato and also increased Rutledge's bond to $50,000.
Suspect in shoot-out indicted in man's death
A man already in prison awaiting trial for attempted murder and other charges in connection with a shoot-out with a Kapahulu pawn shop owner last March was indicted yesterday for allegedly murdering another man 10 days earlier.An Oahu grand jury indicted Markes Rapozo, 34, with second-degree murder for the March 6 shooting death of a motorist near downtown Honolulu. He was also indicted for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Earl Hirakawa, 40, was behind the wheel of a car on Vineyard Boulevard when he was hit in the head with a single blast from a shotgun.
Ten days after the Vineyard shooting, Rapozo was arrested following a shoot-out at GH Camera Pawn & Gold Exchange. Rapozo and the 52-year-old owner of the pawnshop were taken to Queen's Medical Center with multiple gunshot wounds. Rapozo was charged with attempted murder, a firearm violation and drug possession following his release from the hospital. The pawnshop owner remains hospitalized.
