Newswatch
Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff and wire
[ TAKING NOTICE ]
» Angel Network Charities Inc., a homeless-service provider, has received $10,000 from the Atherton Family Foundation to be used for purchasing a flatbed truck for picking up donations.
» The Hawaii State Chapter of the American Red Cross has received $48,000 from the Atherton Family Foundation for hardware, software and training for the chapter's financial development team.
» Goodwill Industries of Hawaii has been awarded $5,000 from the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation's Educating the Heart program in recognition of the volunteer services provided by ninth- through 12th-graders at Waiakea High School in Hilo. The students assisted Goodwill's 'Aina Keepers Program, a community service program for individuals with developmental disabilities, whose mission is to eliminate graffiti and litter.
» The Mary F. and Walter D. Frear Eleemosynary Trust has contributed $500,000 to the YMCA of Honolulu's capital campaign, "Reaching for Tomorrow: Our Commitment to Kids, Families and Communities."
The donations included $250,000 for the new Leeward YMCA lobby, $150,000 for the new Waianae Coast YMCA lobby and $100,000 for the physical access renovations at the Y's Camp Erdman dining hall. The YMCA will name a room in the new Kalihi Y for the Frears.
» The St. Stephen Diocesan and Conference Center has received $10,000 from the First Hawaiian Foundation, the charitable arm of First Hawaiian Bank. The money will be used to restore a pavilion-type gymnasium.
» Alternative Structures International, a nonprofit residential treatment facility for severely disabled mentally ill clients in Waianae, has been awarded $5,000 by the First Hawaiian Foundation. The money will be used to upgrade the Intensive Day Program facility with a new kitchenette and computer room.
» Six public schools in Kapolei will receive $100,000 worth of new computers from the Estate of James Campbell. The schools are Kapolei High, Kapolei Middle, Kapolei Elementary, Barbers Point Elementary, Makakilo Elementary and Mauka Lani Elementary.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staff4 hurt as stolen car hits several vehicles
A 19-year-old woman was critically injured Thursday when the stolen car she was riding in hit another car and sideswiped several parked cars in Kalihi near Bishop Museum.Police arrested the driver of the stolen car, a 34-year-old man, under suspicion of auto theft and negligent injury.
Police said that at about 12:09 p.m. the stolen 2001 white Ford Mustang bearing fraudulent license plates was traveling Koko Head-bound on Bernice Street at a high rate of speed.
Police said the Mustang ran a stop sign at the Kapalama Avenue intersection, sideswiped a white four-door Dodge sedan and sideswiped several parked cars.
The Dodge veered into a van driven by a 31-year-old Kalihi man who was taken to the Queen’s Medical Center in fair condition, police said.
The suspect was also taken to Queen’s in serious condition. Another passenger in the stolen car, a 39-year-old man was taken to Queen’s, also in serious condition, police said.
Motorcyclist critical after collision with car
A 28-year-old motorcyclist was critically injured after the blue 2000 Yamaha he was driving collided with a car leaving Fern elementary School in Kalihi on Thursday night.The car was turning left onto Middle Street just before 8 p.m. when it was hit by the motorcycle, which was traveling makai on Middle, police said.
The 17-year-old girl driving the car was not injured, police said. Police said speed is a probable factor in the accident. The motorcyclist was not wearing a helmet, police said.
WAIKIKI
A suspicious package that was later determined to be a box of books shut down Kalia Road from Paoa Place to Saratoga Road in Waikiki for more than three hours yesterday afternoon.
Suspicious package closes part of roadThe box was found in the Hale Koa Hotel's parking structure. Police used a robot to determine the box's contents.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Big Island police said a man who was struck and killed by a vehicle driven by an on-duty police officer in February had drugs and alcohol in his system at the time.
Drugs, alcohol found in man hit by officerToxicology tests show that Gregory Pluta, 33, had 0.113 percent alcohol and an undetermined amount of anti-convulsion medication in his system when he was struck and killed by officer Bryan Ellis along Alii Drive on Feb. 17.
A preliminary investigation by the Traffic Enforcement Unit determined that Ellis was driving the lead vehicle among several patrol units responding to a call of a disturbance at the Keauhou Pier when the incident occurred at about 1:27 a.m.
According to investigators, Ellis' sport utility vehicle struck Pluta about 2 1/2 miles north of Royal Poinciana Drive. Pluta was pronounced dead at Kona Community Hospital.
Besides the traffic investigation, an internal administrative investigation also is being conducted as part of standard procedure.
Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
