Newswatch
Star-Bulletin staff and wire
LOOKING FOR SMOKING GUNS OF SEWERS
City Engineer Curtis Chun rushed to where smoke was coming out of a rain gutter yesterday on Kahako Place in Enchanted Lake. The smoke signals a possible illegal connection to a city sewer. The officials were checking for leaks in sewer pipes to find how rainwater seeps into the sewers.
Autopsy finds whale died of starvation
An autopsy on the baby melon-headed whale that was found dead in Hanalei Bay on July 5 concluded that the animal died of starvation, an official with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said."There were no problems with its ears or contusions. It not appear to have been traumatized by sound or otherwise," said Tamra Faris, NOAA assistant regional administrator for protected resources.
On July 4, a pod of several hundred melon-headed whales, which normally stay in deep water, came into Hanalei Bay and appeared agitated. When notified of the strange behavior of the small whales, the Navy stopped using active sonar in its RIMPAC war games 20 miles northwest of Kauai.
Early July 5, marine mammal specialists from NOAA and other agencies and volunteers gently herded the whales out of the bay. Later that morning, a Kauai resident spotted the dead whale calf and reported it.
"We've talked with NOAA, and there is no apparent or visible connection between the whales and our training," said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Greg Geisen.
NOAA and the Navy will continue to analyze the situation, Faris said. As to whether the behavior of the whales was caused by the Navy's sonar, "we think it could have been," she said. "But there's also several other things that could have been a factor -- perhaps an algal bloom (toxic to the whales), perhaps individuals in distress that could have made the whole pod act strange."
Free lecture discusses epilepsy in women
"Women & Epilepsy" is the subject of a community health lecture at 6 p.m. today at the Queen's Medical Center's Conference Center Auditorium, 510 S. Beretania St.Dr. Alan Stein, epileptologist, and Karen Hipp, registered nurse, will present the free lecture as part of the medical center's Speaking of Health Community Lecture Series. They will discuss the effects of hormones on seizures and epilepsy, fertility and pregnancy planning with epilepsy and minimizing risks of birth defects for women with epilepsy.
Call 537-7117 for information and registration. Space is limited.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffNEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Infant dies after car crash on Big Isle
An infant boy died and seven people were injured yesterday in a two-car collision in the Hawaiian Ocean View Estates subdivision of Kau on the Big Island.The victim was identified as 1-month-old Luke Ault Jr. The infant was taken to the Kona Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 1:49 p.m.
Police said a 1986 Honda Prelude was traveling west on Palm Parkway, a private road in the subdivision, when it crossed the center line and struck a two-door 1991 Toyota Corolla traveling in the opposite direction at about 8:56 a.m.
The infant was sitting in his mother's lap in the front seat when the collision occurred.
The driver of the Prelude, Luke Ault, 27, and his five other passengers, four of them children, were taken to the Kona Community Hospital for treatment of injuries. Luke was reported in stable condition.
A front seat passenger identified as Napualani Galletes, 23, was reported in stable condition.
The back seat passengers were identified as Chayla Ault, 2, reported in critical condition; Titan Ault, 5, stable condition; Staysha Ault, 6, serious condition; and Tiana Ault, 11 months, stable condition.
The driver of the Toyota, Jake Torres, 16, also of Hawaiian Ocean View Estates, was taken to the Kau Community Hospital and later transferred to the Hilo Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries.
Police believe the people in the Prelude were not wearing seat belts. The driver of the Toyota did have his seat belt on.
Anyone with information about the collision is asked to call officer Bradley Freitas of the Traffic Enforcement Unit at 961-2332 or the police non-emergency number at 935-3311.
The death was the 26th traffic fatality on the Big Island so far this year, compared to 15 at the same time last year.
Kauai pedestrian dies after being hit by car
LIHUE >> An 80-year-old man died yesterday after he was hit by a vehicle while attempting to cross Kuhio Highway near Wilcox Hospital, officials said in a news release.Police said Thomas Irwin, of Lihue, was attempting to cross Kuhio Highway in a crosswalk near Eha Road when he was struck by a vehicle leaving the Isenburg subdivision, making a left turn from Eha Road onto the highway.
Irwin was taken to Wilcox Hospital where he later died from his injuries. The accident occurred about 1:53 p.m.
Irwin is Kauai's eighth traffic fatality of 2004.
WINDWARD OAHU
Police seek suspect in alleged sex assault
Police are looking for a 32-year-old man who allegedly sexually assaulted a 21-year-old woman at a Waimanalo park Sunday.The woman told police she was confronted by the man, whom she knew, at Waimanalo Beach Park about 10:30 p.m. Sunday and then sexually assaulted. The woman called her family after the incident and reported it to police.
Officials identify Kaneohe traffic death
The city Medical Examiner's Office identified the man who died Monday night in a car accident in Kaneohe as Joseph Yoshioka.Yoshioka, 19, of Kaneohe, was the back-seat passenger of a Dodge compact car that was speeding on Puohala Street at about 5:30 p.m. when it collided with a Toyota van near Castle High School and hit a utility pole, police said.
Yoshioka was taken to Castle Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
The 17-year-old driver and a 20-year-old front-seat passenger of the Dodge were taken to the Queen's Medical, Center where they are in guarded condition.
The 17-year-old driver of the van from the Big Island was not injured.
Police make arrest in alleged check theft
A 24-year-old man was arrested for attempting to cash a stolen check for $800 yesterday at a Kailua bank.Police said the man was trying to cash the check that may have been stolen from the home of a man while he was away on vacation.
The bank notified police of the forged check, and the suspect was arrested at the institution, police said.
Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
