Newswatch
Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff and wire
Kaneohe Marine hurt during night training
A 28-year-old Marine was in critical condition yesterday at the Queen's Medical Center after he was injured Wednesday night during a training exercise at Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe.Sgt. Christopher Raize-Montez, with the 3rd Marine Regiment, was reported to be stabilized in critical condition, but a Kaneohe spokesman declined to describe his injuries.
Raize-Montez, who is from Texas, was taking part in a night training exercise in which Marines slide down a rope dangling from a CH53 Delta helicopter.
The Marine Corps would not say if Raize-Montez fell or explain how he got injured, saying the incident is under investigation.
Fund set up for family victimized by blaze
A fund has been set up to help the Aiea family who lost their home and two loved ones in a Feb. 11 fire.Gay Nakamoto, 52, and her 26-year-old son, Jason, died in the blaze, which was started by oil igniting in a pan on an electric stove.
Steven Nakamoto, 52, and eldest son Shannon, who carried his grandmother to safety, escaped while son Ken, 22, arrived home to find his home engulfed in flames.
Those wishing to make donations may send checks to Board of Water Supply Federal Credit Union; 630 S. Beretania St.; Engineering Building, Room 205; Honolulu 96843.
Checks should be made out to the credit union with "Steven Nakamoto Family" included on the memo line.
Nakamoto is a longtime Honolulu Board of Water Supply employee.
Mayor signs bill to ban fluoride in city water
Mayor Jeremy Harris has signed a bill that bans fluoride and other chemical additives from Oahu's public water supply.The bill prohibits adding to the water supply "any product, substance or chemical ... for the purpose of treating or affecting the physical or mental functions of the body or any person."
The ban does not affect military water systems, which are fluoridated, and it does not apply to water-treatment chemicals such as chlorine that are used to make water drinkable.
Fluoridation proponents argue that putting fluoride in water is needed to battle high rates of tooth decay, especially among children.
But those who want fluoride banned from the water say there are other ways to battle tooth decay and that people should have not be forced to ingest fluoride.
The City Council approved the bill 7-2 last month.
March on Sunday to promote peace
A Honolulu physician has organized a "Hearts for Peace March" for Sunday, beginning at 9 a.m. It will start at Saratoga Road near Fort DeRussy and continue to Kapiolani Park.Inam Rahman, a Honolulu physician and a native of Pakistan, organized the event to promote peace after he read about Pakistani child Fatima Noor Sajjad, who was born with a congenital heart defect.
Her doctors advised her parents to travel to a cardiac hospital in India, but no rail or air travel was available between the two countries, which have a longtime feud. Bus service was also suspended after a 2001 attack at the Indian parliament.
Authorities, however, resumed bus service after learning about the toddler's plight. Sajjad and her parents took a 14-hour journey to the hospital where she underwent open-heart surgery in July. Within weeks, Sajjad received international support, and the border between India and Pakistan was partially reopened.
To register for the march, call 221-5745 or 941-9438.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffWAIKIKI
Police arrest 3 teens after tourists assaulted
Police arrested three teenagers who allegedly robbed two teenage visitors from the mainland in Waikiki on Wednesday night. The victims, ages 17 and 18, told police they were approached by several males who demanded money from them. The victims refused, and the suspects assaulted them and stole their money, police said.The robbery occurred at 10:30 p.m. in front of the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel, 2255 Kalakaua Ave.
Police arrested two 18-year-old men and a 13-year-old boy, all with no local address, for second-degree robbery.
LEEWARD OAHU
Alleged sexual assault leads to man's arrest
Police arrested a 39-year-old man Wednesday for allegedly sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman at a party in Nanakuli last month.Police said the incident occurred Jan. 16 between 10 p.m. and midnight at a Mohihi Street address. Police arrested the man for first-degree sexual assault. Police said the suspect and the victim know each other.
Police say 10-year-old wanted to kill teacher
Police arrested a 10-year-old boy Wednesday after he allegedly threatened to kill a teacher with a pair of scissors at an Ewa Beach school last week.At about noon Feb. 10, the child threatened to kill the 32-year-old woman inside a classroom at Kaimiloa Elementary School, 91-1028 Kaunolu St., police said.
The boy was arrested for first-degree terroristic threatening and later released pending investigation.
Coroner identifies body of pedestrian
The city Medical Examiner's Office identified a pedestrian who was killed while crossing Kamehameha Highway near Dixie Grill in Aiea last week as 39-year-old Blaine Nakamura.Nakamura was crossing the highway just east of Honomanu Street at about 7 p.m. Feb. 11 when he was struck.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Police seek suspect in sex assault attempt
Big Island police want help finding a man they say illegally entered a Kona condominium on Feb. 8 and attempted to sexually assault a 15-year-old girl visiting from Washington.Police went to the Casa de Emdeko condominium on Alii Drive about 5:40 a.m., following a report of a burglary. Officers determined that the suspect had approached the girl but fled after she woke up and startled him. Police said she was not hurt.
The suspect was described as in his late 20s to early 30s, 5 feet 2 inches tall with a skinny build, tan complexion and short brown hair.
He was last seen wearing long white swim shorts with a possible red flower print and no shirt.
Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Christopher Gali at 326-4268 or CrimeStoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo and 329-8181 in Kona.
Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
