Newswatch
Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff and wire
[The Courts]
Hit-and-run driver pleads no contest
The driver of a car that fled after hitting three Japanese visitors in a crosswalk near Ward Warehouse pleaded no contest yesterday in Circuit Court.Under a plea deal, Jun Song Cho, 32, pleaded to one count each of fleeing the scene of an accident resulting in substantial bodily injury and first-degree negligent injury, both punishable by five years in prison.
According to police, Masako Yoshizawa was in a marked crosswalk on Auahi Street with her husband and daughter on Aug. 2, 2002, when they were struck. The husband and daughter were knocked to the ground, but Yoshizawa suffered the most serious injuries, including a fractured right arm and trauma to her head, abdomen and back.
According to witnesses, the driver stopped briefly and then left. Cho, of Honolulu, turned himself in to police a short time later.
The agreement calls for Cho to serve two five-year terms at the same time. He will be sentenced Oct. 5.
Artist sues Quiksilver over images of dancer
Local art photographer Kim Taylor Reece is suing Quiksilver Inc. for copyright infringement.In a lawsuit filed yesterday in U.S. District Court, Reece alleges that Quiksilver has been marketing clothing items bearing images of a hula dancer found in his book "Hula Kahiko (Images of Hawaii's Ancient Hula)." Reece alleges that the design is "at least substantially similar to plaintiff's original photograph and, in fact, is virtually identical to the original."
Quiksilver Inc. officials could not be reached for comment.
Reece is asking that Quiksilver be ordered to cease using his photographs and images and to award him damages.
Trial set in burning of Kihei license office
WAILUKU >> A man charged in the burning of a satellite driver's license office in Kihei is scheduled to appear in Maui Circuit Court on Aug. 5.Peter Carl King, 21, of Kihei, was charged by police with first-degree criminal property damage in the fire, reported at 12:12 a.m. Tuesday.
A security guard at the makai Azeka Shopping Center saw smoke from outside the trailer area, a truck with headlights on and a man carrying a gas container, police said.
Police officers later found a truck matching the guard's description parked near the Veterans of Foreign Wars hall, police said. They discovered King lying in nearby bushes. A gas container was found near him, police said.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHONOLULU
Security guards at 1601 Kapiolani Blvd. put out a fire yesterday in a pickup truck parked on the eighth floor of the building's garage. The building manager, Bill Downard, took a picture of the aftermath.
Pickup truck is torched in Kapiolani parking garage
Fire investigators said someone intentionally set a pickup truck on fire yesterday, forcing the evacuation of about 300 people from the 1601 Kapiolani Blvd. office building.The evacuation started shortly after the fire in the building's parking garage was reported at 9:48 a.m. People were not allowed back inside until 11:05 a.m.
Security guards said the Toyota pickup truck was parked on the garage's eighth floor and that the cab's interior was fully engulfed in flames when they put out the fire with an extinguisher.
Guards first noticed the truck about 10 minutes before the fire started because it was not parked in a parking stall. They said they saw a man acting suspiciously and looking at the truck before the fire started.
Police later discovered that the truck had been stolen from a Waianae woman who had been filing a restraining order at court yesterday morning. No arrests have been made in the case. Damage to the pickup was estimated at about $8,000.
Suspect allegedly ran over dog on purpose
Police arrested a 76-year-old Nuuanu man Wednesday night after he allegedly ran over his neighbor's dog, then tried to run over his neighbor.Police did not have details on the condition of the dog. The neighbor, a 34-year-old man, was not hurt.
After the 10:30 p.m. incident, the suspect locked himself in his home in the Dowsett Highlands area of Nuuanu, police said.
After repeated calls, the man surrendered to police, who arrested him for suspicion of second-degree attempted murder.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Dead man found on Kauai is identified
LIHUE >> The man who was found dead Wednesday north of Kealia Beach on Kauai's northeastern shore has been identified as 29-year-old Charles McConnell, police said.McConnell's last address was in Kapaa, but he was believed to be homeless at the time of his death, police said.
Though there appeared to be no signs of foul play, Kauai police said an autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death.
Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
