Newswatch
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin Staff
[ TAKING NOTICE ]
>>Dr. Jeanne Rellahan, dean of the College of International Studies at Hawaii Pacific University, has been re-appointed chair of the Regional Fulbright Teacher and Administrator Exchange Program by the United States Department of State. She has held the position since 1998.>>Laura Quek, a senior at Hawaii Baptist Academy, won the highest ranking in this year's WordMasters Challenge, a national reading and language competition for high school students. Competing in the Gold Division for 11th- and 12th-graders, Quek was among 39,000 students from 24 states who entered the four meets held in one year.
Along with Quek, junior Shelly Hokama also earned highest honors for individual achievement in the final meet, where they were among only 31 in the country to earn perfect scores. Others from Hawaii Baptist who achieved outstanding results included Lauren Furuya, Logan Takahashi and Stephanie Irvin.
>>Three Hawaii residents have received scholarships to Cottey College for Women in Nevada, Mo., from the P.E.O. Sisterhood, an international educational organization of women that owns the two-year college. They are Arlene Yoshida, a King Kekaulike High graduate; Cristin O'Malley, formerly of Kalaheo High; and Cynthia Schoder of Campbell High.
>> Winners of the Congressional Arts Contest, 2nd Congressional District are Sean Connelly, a senior at Castle High School, first place; Liane Donato, a senior at Baldwin, and David Hasegawa, a senior at Maui High, who tied for second. Connelly's charcoal/water-colored pencil drawing, "My Mother, the Hula Dancer," will be displayed for a year in the U.S. Capitol. He and art teacher Alicia Rogan also received free trips to attend a ceremony in Washington, D.C.
Taking Notice runs on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Listings also appear online at www.starbulletin.com. Please send items to City Desk, Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana, Suite 7-210, Honolulu, HI 96813.
Hotel is sued by guest who was held hostage
HILO >> A Hilo hotel has been sued by a guest who was taken hostage by a gunman during a standoff with Big Island police.The Circuit Court suit filed Thursday on behalf of Arnold Koss, 51, accused the Hawaii Naniloa Resort of negligence for failing to warn him of any danger or hazard when he checked in.
Koss had just checked in when he was forced at gunpoint into his room after meeting David Field, 33, in the eighth-floor hallway of the hotel on Feb. 20, police said.
Field was trying to evade police officers who had gone to the hotel to arrest him for a probation violation, police said.
Koss was held for six hours and was released before Field surrendered.
The lawsuit, which seeks an unspecified amount of monetary damages, said Koss suffered severe and permanent physical injury and mental distress, medical expenses, lost wages and decreased earning capacity.
Numerous felony charges were filed against Field, including kidnapping, terroristic threatening and robbery.
Singer indicted after alleged killing attempt
A recording artist accused of firing shots at a former University of Hawaii football player was indicted by an Oahu grand jury on four criminal counts, including second-degree attempted murder.The indictment against Aziel Al Toeaina, 25, was returned Thursday, alleging the singer attempted to kill Tupu Alualu during a parking lot confrontation at Ala Moana Center on May 16. Toeaina is alleged to have aimed a gun at Alualu's chest and pulled the trigger.
When the handgun misfired, Alualu punched Toeaina, and the gun fell to the ground, Alualu later told police. Witnesses then called police, and Toeaina was arrested near the Ala Moana Hotel.
The three other counts concern weapons violations. Toeaina is free on $50,000 bail.
$10 bird-hunting fee to be assessed in July
Game bird hunters in Hawaii will have to pay $10 a year for a bird-hunting stamp on their state hunting license beginning in July, the Board of Land & Natural Resources decided recently.The game bird-hunting stamp is expected to raise an additional $50,000 a year, which will be used for:
>> Leasing new areas for game bird hunting.For information, contact Ed Johnson, Division of Forestry and Wildlife, 1151 Punchbowl St., Honolulu 96813; 808-587-0166; or edj@dofaw.net.>> Clearing brush to improve game bird hunting.
>> Purchasing, rearing and release of game birds.
>> Controlling predators and adding watering units.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffRUNAWAY TRUCK ON LIKELIKE HIGHWAY
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
An out-of-control garbage truck slammed into three cars and broke through a fence along Kula Kolea Drive at 8:26 a.m. yesterday. According to fire personnel, the truck driver said he lost control as he was driving town-bound on Likelike Highway when he discovered he had no brakes and was forced to swerve to avoid a car. Firefighters contained oil leaking out of the truck as it spilled toward a storm drain. The truck driver was taken to a hospital and treated for wounds to his arm and back.
WAIKIKI
Woman, 18, arrested for scratching a cop
Waikiki police arrested an 18-year-old woman for scratching a patrol officer yesterday morning.Police said the suspect was reported assaulting another female in front of a nightclub at 250 Lewers St. at 12:26 a.m. When police arrived, a witness pointed out the suspect, who was walking away.
The suspect refused to stop, police said. The suspect allegedly grabbed an officer's arm and dug her fingernails into his skin. Police arrested her for assault of a police officer, a Class C felony.
HONOLULU
Boy in stable condition after being hit by car
A 7-year-old boy who ran across the Moanalua Freeway offramp to Moanalua Gardens was struck by a car about 8 p.m. yesterday.Fire personnel said the boy's mother was holding him in the median between westbound Moanalua Freeway and the offramp when they arrived.
Ambulance personnel took the child to the Queen's Medical Center, where he was pronounced to be in stable condition.
EAST OAHU
Boat crew is rescued in surf off China Wall
Hawaii Kai fire rescue crews pulled four people out of the water about 200 yards offshore near China Wall last night.Fire rescue officials said the victims' boat capsized at 6:47 p.m. because of the surf and that they were forced to hold on to the sides of the boat until help arrived. No injuries were reported.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Victim of fatal Big Isle car crash is identified
Big Island police have identified the 26-year-old Hilo man who died yesterday following a single-car collision on Hawaii Belt Road, Route 19, near Hakalau.The victim was identified as Kyle Fukamizu, of a Kaumana Drive address. Police determined that sometime after 3 a.m., the victim was driving his 2002 Subaru four-door sedan, traveling north near the Hakalau overpass, crossed the center line and struck the concrete pillar 50 feet south of the Old Mamalahoa Highway intersection.
Fukamizu was taken to the Hilo Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 5:55 a.m. Police are investigating the collision and have ordered a medical inquiry to determine the cause of death.
Police are also asking for the public's assistance. Anyone with information is asked to contact officer Norbert Serrao, of the Traffic Enforcement Unit, at 961-2232.
Fukamizu's death was the 14th traffic fatality on the Big Island so far this year, compared with 14 for the same time last year.
Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
