FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM Victims of the Dolphin Excursions tour van hijacking near Kahe Point on the west side of Oahu were at Honolulu Police headquarters yesterday in downtown Honolulu. Libby Fogel, 10, returning after talking with detectives and a sketch artist, got a reassuring kiss from her mom, Anne Fogel. Behind them were Sandra Cherk and Jenna Morris and Dolphin Excursions employee Sarah Amidon.

---

Tour van hijacked
on Waianae Coast

Four people inside are
taken for a short ride
before being let go

Honolulu police are looking for two men who stole a tour van with four people, including three girls ages 10 and younger, still inside.

The victims were let out of the van a short distance later from where it was stolen at Kahe Point on the Waianae Coast just before 7 a.m. yesterday. The kidnapping took place after half of the Dolphin Excursions tour group got out to check for dolphins and the other half decided to stay in the van with the engine running.

That's when a man jumped in the driver's seat and took off.

"He started spinning out and going fast," said 9-year-old Maya Davidson. "The guy said he was going to the hotel."

"I went straight into panic," said Anne Fogel, mother of 10-year-old Libby, who had disappeared with the van. "It was shocking ... we didn't know what to do first."

Dolphin Excursions driver Jenna Morris said their tour groups always stop at Kahe Point to look for dolphins in the morning so that they know where to head when they reach their watercraft at Waianae Boat Harbor.

"First I was scared," she said. "Then it was, 'Am I going to get fired?'"

Meanwhile, inside the van, the adult victim, identified as Tony Lopez from Colorado, had attempted to use his cell phone to call for help. It was then, police said, when the suspect took out a knife.

"It was about 8 inches long," Maya said.

Lopez asked the suspect to pull over and let the children out. Eventually the driver stopped along Farrington Highway but told the group to leave their belongings behind. Another unidentified male suspect pulled up behind the van in a dark blue compact car, got out and "threw Tony into the bushes," according to Maya.

"I didn't want to be scared," Libby Fogel said. "But when Tony started talking to him, I was scared because I didn't know if they were going to start hurting Tony."

Police found the stolen tour van -- minus almost all the tour group's belongings -- later at Kamokila Park, near Honokai Hale, about two miles from Kahe Point. According to police, another witness reported a small blue compact vehicle with a partial license plate driving erratically on Farrington Highway heading townbound.

Police are asking for the public's help in finding both suspects. The driver of the van was described as in his mid 30s, about 5 feet 8 inches tall, has dark brown hair, dark eyes, a dark complexion and an average build. He was last seen wearing a black baseball cap, black jacket, dark pants, dark shoes, and black diver's gloves with Velcro fasteners. The knife he was said to have was described as a rusty fishing knife.

The second suspect who was driving the blue compact car was described as in his 30s, 5 feet 10 inches tall, with a muscular build, dark short hair, and tan complexion. He was last seen wearing a white oversized shirt and denim jeans. The vehicle was described as possibly a blue Chevrolet with red fenders, with partial license plate number GV--26.

"This is an extremely unusual case and we need the public's help to identify the suspects," said CrimeStoppers Detective Letha DeCaires. "Especially with the victims leaving for the mainland, we need help in solving this case very quickly."

Anyone with information on this case is asked to call robbery Detective Bert Soria at 529-3357. Calls may also be made to CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or by dialing *CRIME on a cellular phone.

Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers