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Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff and wire
FIRE DAMAGES MOILIILI RESTAURANT
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Eight fire companies battled a kitchen fire that caused an estimated $100,000 in damage at Maple Garden Restaurant in Moiliili yesterday morning. The fire at 909 Isenberg St. originated in the kitchen and moved into the vent system, said fire Capt. Kenison Tejada. Thirty-four firefighters fought the fire, which was reported at 7:59 a.m., Tejada said. The fire was under control by 8:10 a.m. The fire damaged the vent system and roof and caused smoke damage to the restaurant, Tejada said. No injuries were reported. Police closed Isenberg between South King and Date streets during the blaze.
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Lingle defends staffer from criticism of lying
Gov. Linda Lingle yesterday has defended her press secretary, Russell Pang, who on Monday lied to news reporters about her whereabouts, explaining later it was to ensure the safety of governors who were secretly traveling to Iraq."I wish we could have done it a different way, but under the circumstances, for the security of the governors, I think it was justified," Lingle told the Associated Press in a telephone interview after she arrived in Washington, D.C., yesterday.
Lingle and five other governors returned from a U.S. Defense Department-sponsored trip to observe the rebuilding effort in Iraq and visit with troops.
As for nationwide news reports as well as critical editorials in Honolulu's two major daily newspapers yesterday about Pang's lie, Lingle said, "I think it's an overreaction.
"I think if I had a history of being evasive, I could understand it," she said. "But that's not my style. I think there should be a lot of understanding about the safety that was involved here."
Maui County official pleads not guilty
WAILUKU >> Maui County Managing Director Jack Kulp III pleaded not guilty to a drunken-driving charge yesterday in Wailuku District Court.A pretrial conference is scheduled for 8 a.m. April 28 before District Judge Reinette Cooper.
To avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest, the county prosecutor has turned the case over to the state attorney general, said Deputy Attorney General Joanne Hao.
Hao said as a matter of legal strategy, she hasn't filed information about the blood-alcohol level of Kulp in court.
Kulp, 51, has publicly apologized for his arrest on thecharge. Mayor Alan Arakawa refused to accept Kulp's offer to resign.
A police officer said Kulp had "signs of impairment" when he was arrested in December. He was driving on Wahine Pio Drive near the entrance to the Maui Arts & Cultural Center when he was stopped at 11:41 p.m. Dec. 16, police said.
Police said a test at the station showed Kulp's blood alcohol level exceeded the legal limit of 0.08.
Developer targets Kaanapali for project
WAILUKU >> A Canadian developer plans to build a 700-unit project on a northern section of the Kaanapali resort.Intrawest, based in Vancouver, said the project will include an eight-story and 12-story building with 628 rooms for visitors and 72 two-story townhouses.
The proposed development would take place on about 40 acres of land south of the Mahana resort.
The developer already has the hotel zoning but will require other permits from the Maui Planning Commission.
Intrawest plans to build the project in phases over an eight-year period, starting 2005.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHONOLULU
Man, 28, arrested after alleged hostage incident
Police arrested a 28-year-old man Wednesday night after they say he had barricaded himself, his 24-year-old girlfriend and their 2-year-old daughter inside their Kalihi apartment.Officers from the Specialized Services Division entered the apartment and rescued the woman and child after arresting the suspect.
The couple was involved in an argument about 3:40 p.m. Wednesday.
The man was arrested for investigation of first-degree terroristic threatening, two counts of kidnapping and abuse of a household or family member.
Student accused of shooting other teen
Police arrested a 15-year-old student at Damien Memorial High School on Wednesday for allegedly shooting another 15-year-old student with a pellet gun.The victim reported the Feb. 2 incident Wednesday, when he was shot a second time by another student using a pellet gun, possibly the same gun, according to police and school officials.
The suspect in Wednesday's incident was also a 15-year-old student, police said.
3 suspects sought in jewelry store holdup
Police are looking for three male teenage suspects in a Salt Lake jewelry store holdup about 12:45 p.m. Wednesday.Police said four teens entered the store, and one was brandishing a large pistol at the 38-year-old female co-owner, and took an undisclosed amount of jewelry from the display counter.
Another teen allegedly assaulted the 38-year-old male co-owner, who was also inside the store.
Witnesses said the four suspects fled in a dark green, four-door Honda, and gave the officers the description and license plate of the vehicle.
Officers in Ewa Beach found the car and arrested a 16-year-old male on first-degree robbery. He was later released pending investigation.
One suspect is described as 5-feet-6, 160 pounds, with a medium build, black hair, brown eyes and wearing a white long-sleeve T-shirt and trousers.
Another suspect is described as 5-feet-6, about 160 pounds, with a medium build, brown eyes and wearing a black long-sleeve T-shirt, trousers and a black beanie.
The last suspect was about 5-feet-6, 140 pounds, with a slim build and brown eyes, and wearing a light-colored T-shirt, black shorts, and a white and red beanie.
Felon wanted for warrants, questioning
Police are asking for the public's help in finding a convicted felon wanted for outstanding parole revocation and grand jury warrants and wanted for questioning in a recent forgery investigation.
Gerald Villanueva, 44, has felony convictions for robbery, theft, escape, and forgery and two weapons offenses.
He is 5 feet 10 inches, 185 pounds, with black hair, brown eyes, a mustache, goatee and tattoos on his left hand and arm.
Villanueva is originally from Maui. Anyone with information may call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME on a cell phone.
LEEWARD OAHU
Pedestrian dies after Wednesday accident
A 39-year-old man died early yesterday from injuries he received when he was hit by a car as he tried to cross Kamehameha Highway in Aiea on Wednesday night.Police said the man was crossing the highway from mauka to makai about 7 p.m. near Dixie Grill and Wally Ho's Garage & Grill, not far from the freeway onramp, when he was hit by a car heading town-bound.
The victim was taken to the Queen's Medical Center in critical condition and later died.
WAIKIKI
Driver sought in Kapiolani hit-and-run
Police are looking for the driver of a car involved in a pedestrian hit-and-run accident on Kapiolani Boulevard near the intersection of Kalakaua Avenue about 12:45 a.m. yesterday.Police said the driver of a white sedan, possibly a Ford, was traveling Koko Head-bound and struck a 21-year-old Honolulu man crossing to the makai side of Kapiolani. The victim was taken to the hospital with a possible fractured arm.
WINDWARD OAHU
Man found floating in Kaneohe Bay dies
A Kaneohe man in his 60s, who had been a passenger in a 16-foot boat, died yesterday after he was found floating face down in Kaneohe Bay, a fire official said.The man was out on the bay with friends and family on the private boat, and a woman aboard the boat spotted him in the water about 11:03 a.m., said fire Capt. Kenison Tejada.
The man was unresponsive, and his son and the son's friend were performing CPR on the man when fire rescue personnel arrived, Tejada said.
It was not clear whether the man fell or jumped in, Tejada said.
The man was taken in extremely critical condition to Castle Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
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