Newswatch
Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff and wire
Isle welfare fraud suspect extradited from Texas
A man state investigators said defrauded the welfare system of more than $47,000 was extradited from Texas earlier this week.According to the State Attorney General's office, Ronney R. Diaz, 32, aka Ron Lewis, Anthony John Marciano and Michale Garcia, was brought back to Hawaii following extradition proceedings in San Antonio to face a first-degree theft indictment Wednesday. State officials said Diaz, along with his partner Brandy K. Lewis, allegedly stole public assistance benefits between 2000 and 2002.
Diaz was arrested in San Antonio on Sept. 18 and is scheduled for his first court appearance tomorrow.
Lewis, 29, aka Brandy Diaz, Linda Sterio, Nicole Ann Ledesma and Linda Johnson, remains a fugitive, according to state officials.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHONOLULU
Car accident escalates into a fight and arrest
An accident between a pedestrian and a motorist on Pensacola Street early yesterday morning led to a fight that sent a 31-year-old man to the hospital in critical condition, police said.The victim hit a 21-year-old man crossing Pensacola Street with his car at about 1:40 a.m., police said. When the driver stopped, both men argued.
The man tried to drive off and the suspect jumped on to the man's car, police said. He drove about a half mile with the suspect on his car near the intersection of Kapiolani Boulevard and Piikoi Street. When the victim stopped the car, police said the suspect hit him, knocking him unconscious.
The driver was taken to the Queen's Medical Center. The suspect was arrested and released, pending investigation.
LEEWARD OAHU
Mother holding child is allegedly stabbed
A 17-year-old Pearl City woman was stabbed in the forearm this morning as she was holding her child during a domestic dispute with a 23-year-old man, police said.The man returned to his Kuokoa Street home drunk at about 2 a.m., police said. The man then allegedly went into the bedroom with a knife and stabbed the woman as she was holding her 1-year-old. The man was arrested and later released pending investigation.
The victim was taken to an area hospital, where she was treated and released.
NORTH SHORE
North Shore surf leads to 2 near-drownings
High surf and strong currents kept lifeguards busy yesterday.Around noon, lifeguards pulled a 37-year-old Wahiawa man from the surf at the Banzai Pipeline. After being revived with CPR, he was taken to Wahiawa General Hospital in serious condition. Two hours later, there was another near-drowning at Ke Iki Beach. Lifeguards pulled a 22-year-old man from the water. He was given oxygen and taken to Kahuku Hospital for observation.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Car crash knocks out power on Big Island
Some Hawaii Electric Light Co. customers on the Big Island were without power for almost five hours yesterday morning, after a car hit a utility pole in Papaikou at 2:31 a.m.About 1,100 customers in the Puueo to Pepeekeo areas were without power until 3:20 a.m. Another 1,000 customers were without power until as late as 7:12 a.m., HELCO reported.
Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
