Newswatch
Police, Fire, Courts

By Star-Bulletin Staff

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Woman sues neighbor over falling coconut

HILO >> A Big Island woman who said she was injured two years ago when a falling coconut hit her arm while she was watering her yard has sued her neighbors.

Thelma Coloma and her husband, Rolando, of Waikoloa, filed the lawsuit this past week in Circuit Court against Julie and Dean Luchetta.

The lawsuit accused the Luchettas of negligence for poorly maintaining their property. It also said the Luchettas were negligent for failing to warn the public about the "dangerous condition" of their yard or for failing to prevent the public from walking in the "dangerous area."

Julie Luchetta said she did not know why the Colomas filed the lawsuit instead of discussing their concerns with her.

"I think that neighbors should be neighborly and come to us instead of slapping us with a summons," she said.

Luchetta said she forwarded the complaint to her insurance company.

The lawsuit said that on Oct. 2, 2000, Thelma Coloma suffered serious and permanent injuries to her arm, right shoulder, neck and back that led to medical bills and lost employment opportunities. It also said her husband suffered a loss of companionship as a result of his wife's injuries.

The Colomas are seeking an unspecified amount of damages.

Libraries will close Friday and Sunday

All public libraries will be closed Friday for the Good Friday holiday and Sunday for Easter. Most libraries will be open as usual on Saturday and reopen next Monday.

Case plans meetings with isle constituents

U.S. Rep. Ed Case is wrapping up 100 days of his congressional term by spending two weeks in Hawaii.

His schedule calls for meetings and visits with constituents, as well as business, military, government and other officials.

"It's been an incredibly full term already, as our Congress has dealt with economic stagnation and a deteriorating budget picture at home, and Iraq and potential crises elsewhere abroad," Case said.

Case's agenda includes a tour of the Marine Corps base in Kaneohe today and a speech to Small Business Hawaii tomorrow.

The Democrat, whose 2nd District covers rural Oahu and the neighbor islands, will also spend five days on Kauai, Maui and the Big Island.

Case was sworn into office Jan. 7 after winning a special election to fill the late Democratic U.S. Rep. Patsy Mink's seat.

The election was held five weeks after he won a special election for the remainder of Mink's term. She died Sept. 28.

Privacy law won't affect workers' comp claims

The state does not expect the processing and payments of workers' compensation claims to be affected by a new federal act that goes into effect today.

Under the privacy rules of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, hospitals and other health-care providers will be required to follow requirements before releasing medical information on their patients.

"The strict requirements of the law don't affect the workers' compensation system," said Nelson Befitel, director of the state Department of Labor & Industrial Relations. "Therefore, we don't expect any major disruptions in the way we process workers' compensation claims."

The department has issued an informational sheet explaining the new privacy law as it relates to the state workers' compensation system.

"The new privacy law has made a lot of people in the health and insurance industry feel a little uneasy," Befitel said. "We hope this informational sheet will clear their concerns so that the flow of medical information can continue in the workers' compensation system."

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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 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

Big Isle man arrested in suspected murder

KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii >> Big Island police arrested a 28-year-old Kona Highlands man this morning on suspicion of murder in the death of Michael Rhett Hackmeyer, 39, of Kailua-Kona, whose body was found Thursday at Makalawena Beach Road.

Hackmeyer, who was reported missing April 1, died of severe head injuries, police said.

Driver dead, 4 injured after Maui car crash

WAILUKU, Maui >> A 21-year-old Hailiimaile man died last night after losing control of his car and crashing into a utility pole on Pulehu Road, said police traffic investigator Ericlee Correa.

Four passengers also were injured in the 8:49 p.m. accident. Two remained at Maui Medical Center this morning in fair condition. Two teen-age boys were treated at the hospital and released.

Police are investigating if speed and alcohol were factors in the accident, Correa said.

Search fails to turn up victims of falls plunge

WAILUKU, Maui >> A third day of searching turned up no sign yesterday of a Kentucky man and his daughter who were swept over a cliff Thursday during a flash flood on Maui.

Kevin Brown, 39, and his daughter Elizabeth, 8, of Louisville, Ky., are presumed dead after they were swept over Makahiku Falls.

A 19-member team of firefighters and park rangers, including two divers who searched a pool along Oheo Stream, participated in yesterday's search.

2 injured by light pole at Maui soccer game

KAHULUI, Maui >> The Kahului Community Center is closed today after a light pole, knocked down by high winds, struck two spectators at a soccer match yesterday afternoon.

The two, both female, received abrasions but no major injuries, police said.

Maui County Parks Director Glenn Correa said winds were blowing about 30 to 35 miles per hour at the center. The 15- to 20-foot-high pole was slated to be torn down as part of a project to replace all the light poles at the center, Correa said. Officials were inspecting the remaining poles, he said.

NORTH SHORE

Fire chopper outlasts swimmer fleeing cops

A man wanted on a warrant jumped into the ocean in Mokuleia yesterday afternoon to escape arrest, police said.

The man drove to the end of Farrington Highway, got out of his car, jumped into the ocean and swam out at about 4 p.m., said Fire Capt. Kenison Tejada. He refused to come out of the water as a fire department helicopter hovered over him, Tejada said. But he came ashore about two hours later after he became tired.

HONOLULU

Man arrested in eye poking, impersonation

Police arrested a 32-year-old man yesterday for allegedly poking another man in the eye and then pretending he was a police officer.

Police said they arrested the suspect on suspicion of assault after a 30-year-old man reported the suspect poked him in the eye during an argument at Gussie L'amour's at 3251 N. Nimitz Highway.

The victim received serious injuries, including a broken eye socket and eye muscle damage, police said.

The suspect was released after he claimed he was a Leeward Oahu police officer, police said. However, officers found he is not an officer and rearrested him pending an investigation of impersonating a police officer.

Gunman steals teenager's moped

Police are looking for a gunman who stole a moped from a 16-year-old boy in Kamehameha Heights Saturday.

Police said the boy was riding about 10:45 p.m. when a man with a handgun pulled up in a black van and demanded the moped. The gunman rode off on the moped with someone else driving the van behind him.

The gunman is described as in his late 20s, 6 feet tall and 200 pounds. He was wearing a black jacket and a beanie cap.

Officer escapes harm in alleged road rage

Police arrested a 20-year-old man Saturday after he allegedly tried to run down another man and a police officer with his car in Kalihi.

Police said a traffic incident apparently caused the driver of a Dodge Neon to pursue the driver of a GMC sport utility vehicle about 2:10 a.m.

The GMC driver sought help from a police officer, and his passenger got out of the vehicle and walked toward the Neon driver, police said. As the officer was about to intervene, the Neon sped away, striking the passenger and nearly hitting the officer.

The officer then drew his gun, stopped the Neon driver and arrested him on suspicion of attempted murder.

The passenger was treated at Queen's Medical Center and released.

Roosevelt students lose wood shop to arson

A maliciously set fire damaged a portable storage shed at Roosevelt High School early yesterday, fire officials said. The fire was reported about 3 a.m. at 1120 Nehoa St.

Honolulu Fire Department Capt. Kenison Tejada said the shed was used for the school's wood shop class. A Roosevelt employee said the shed was built by the students.

Damage was estimated at $45,000.

CENTRAL OAHU

Police arrest suspects in armed purse heist

Police arrested four people, ages 17 to 23, who allegedly robbed a 55-year-old woman at gunpoint at Mililani Town Center.

Police said the woman was walking to her car about 6:05 p.m. Thursday when a man grabbed her handbag and knocked her down while another man pointed a rifle at her. The robbers took off in a white Toyota. The suspects were arrested after police spotted a car fitting the description.

LEEWARD OAHU

Sailor, Pearl City man were car crash victims

The medical examiner identified two men who died in a Saturday accident as Keith Aguilar, 21, of Pearl City, and Sean McNamara, 21, of the USS Port Royal, a cruiser home-ported at Pearl Harbor.

Police said the two were in a 2001 Honda Civic that struck two signal posts on Kamehameha Highway near McGrew Point about 1:25 a.m. Police said speed and alcohol were factors in the accident.

Suspect surrenders in stabbing incident

A 39-year-old man turned himself in after he allegedly stabbed another man three times Saturday in Pearl City.

Police said two women were arguing over car keys at a home on Akeukeu Street about 12:15 a.m. when the suspect got involved in the argument. He brought two knives from his home and chased the victim into a neighbor's yard where he stabbed him, leaving lacerations on his arm and back.

Police said the suspect then went after one of the women, who was seated in her vehicle, and tried to stab her through a partially open window. Police said another man knocked the suspect to the ground.