---

Sonson's suspension pushed back 1 month

State Rep. Alex Sonson's three-month legal suspension for ethics violations has been delayed by one month after the second-term Democrat asked the state Supreme Court to reconsider the time frame, officials said.

The suspension is scheduled to take effect Feb. 18, the Supreme Court's Office of Disciplinary Counsel announced yesterday. It was originally scheduled to begin Wednesday.

Sonson (D, Pearl City-Waipahu) argued that the original terms of the suspension would have amounted to a suspension longer than four months because a course on professionalism he is required to take to apply for reinstatement does not begin until May 21.

Sonson already apologized and took full responsibility for his actions when his suspension on ethics violations was announced last month.

The Office of Disciplinary Counsel said Sonson, 45, misappropriated a client's money, commingled personal funds with other money, mislabeled his trust and business accounts and falsely submitted documents stating he was in compliance with state rules of conduct.

The violations were found to be inadvertent, he said.

After the three-month suspension, Sonson would have to apply with the court and meet certain conditions -- including completion of the professionalism course -- to have his law license reinstated if he wants to practice law in Hawaii again, the Disciplinary Counsel said.

Man pleas no contest to sex assault charges

A 38-year-old man has pleaded no contest to charges he exposed himself to women and masturbated in front of them at downtown parking lots on at least three occasions.

Francis K.S. Kim, 38, entered his plea yesterday in Honolulu District Court to three counts of fourth-degree sexual assault. He remains free after posting $1,000 bail.

Two of the incidents occurred in the same parking lot at 830 Punchbowl St. Another occurred on Oct. 25 in the parking lot of the Hawaii Supreme Court building. In each incident a nude male confronted the women and fondled himself, police said.

Trial is set for Feb. 22.

Fourth-degree sexual assault is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail.

Testing of sirens to take place Feb. 1

State Civil Defense will be testing warning sirens and the Emergency Alert System at 11:45 a.m. Feb. 1.

Residents should turn on their radios or televisions for emergency information and instructions broadcast when the siren signals are activated.

---

Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

LEEWARD OAHU

Waipahu sibling fight ends with victim knifed

Police charged a 35-year-old man with attacking his teenage brother with a knife Wednesday night.

The victim, 18, had just come home to the family's Waipahu apartment at 10:40 p.m. and got into an argument with another brother, 43, police said.

During the argument, the 35-year-old brother slashed the victim with a knife, causing a laceration to his left rib area, police said.

The victim was treated and released, and refused to pursue assault charges against the suspect. Police arrested and charged the suspect with abuse of a household member. Bail was set at $2,000.

Alleged auto thief ditches moving car

Police arrested a suspected auto thief Wednesday who allegedly bolted from a moving car just before it hit a patrol car and another vehicle.

Police said a patrol officer spotted a stolen vehicle traveling with the headlights off along Moanalua Loop in Aiea about 2:04 a.m. When the suspect saw the officer, he stopped and jumped out of the car but left it in gear, police said.

The vehicle then moved forward, hitting the police car and a parked truck, police said.

Police found the suspect, a 20-year-old man, two blocks away and arrested him for investigation of auto theft, driving without a license and having fraudulent license plates.

Police catch girl sitting in stolen car

Police arrested a 17-year-old girl after she tried to hide her face as an officer drove by the stolen car she was sitting in.

A patrol officer in Nanakuli saw the suspect Wednesday in the driver's seat of a vehicle that was parked with the engine running, police said. When the girl tried to hide her face, the officer checked the license plate of the vehicle and learned that it was stolen. He then arrested her for investigation of auto theft.

HONOLULU

Kalihi business suffers damage in morning fire

A silk screening business in Kalihi was gutted by fire early yesterday morning.

The fire was reported at 2:49 a.m. at 3075 Kalihi St. Fire officials said the business on the first floor suffered a majority of the damage.

Residents living in eight units on the second floor of the building were evacuated as a precaution.

No injuries were reported, and damage to the building and its contents was estimated at $100,000.