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Man missing a hand sues scuba company

A California man who was born without a left hand and forearm alleges he was discriminated against when he went on a prepaid scuba dive tour during a visit to the Big Island and was not allowed to dive.

In a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court yesterday, Michael Riordan alleges he and his wife boarded the Kanoa -- a dive vessel operated by the Wild Ocean Dive Co. in Keauhou and its president, Mark Ryan -- on Oct. 7 but were told that to scuba dive, he needed to have two hands.

Riordan alleges he told Ryan that he was capable of manual functions including tying his shoelaces and driving a car with manual transmission, and has played baseball, basketball and golf. Ryan allegedly responded, "That's all different."

The dive company and Ryan could not be reached for comment.

Comments sought for judicial nominees

Chief Justice Ronald Moon is seeking public comment on judicial nominees for a vacancy at the District Court on Oahu.

The nominees submitted by the Judicial Selection Commission are Nancy Ryan Harada, Ronette Kawakami, David Minkin, Edwin Nacino, Peter Stone and Michael Tanigawa.

The vacancy occurred when Judge Bert Ayabe was appointed to the Circuit Court last year.

Written comments on the nominees should be mailed, faxed or delivered no later than Monday to 417 S. King St., Honolulu 96813. The fax number is 539-4703. All comments are confidential.

EPA cracks down on demolition firm

The Environmental Protection Agency has ordered an Oahu trucking and demolition company to improve its pollution control practices or face fines of up to $32,500 per day.

R.H.S. Lee Inc. is to provide the EPA with an oil spill prevention plan for its Pearl City facility within 10 working days, Hawaii EPA spokesman Dean Higuchi said recently.

During a January inspection, the EPA found oil and oily water discharges from the R.H.S. Lee site that flow off the property into a storm drain leading to the ocean.

Company President Richard Lee did not return a call seeking comment.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

WINDWARD OAHU

Driver is arrested after knocking down utility pole

Police arrested an 18-year-old man under suspicion of drunken driving and a drug offense after he allegedly lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a utility pole along Kaneohe Bay Drive last night.

The incident took place at about 11:40 p.m. The suspect's vehicle hit one pole, knocking it down, and the utility wires then pulled down two other poles, police said.

Police initially closed down Kaneohe Bay Drive from Kamehameha Highway to the intersection of Aumoku and Makalani streets. Police arrested the suspect after he refused medical treatment at the scene.

LEEWARD OAHU

Police seek witnesses of fatal June accident

Police want to talk with witnesses who might have seen a traffic collision that killed a 76-year-old woman last June.

The incident occurred at about 6:55 a.m. on June 13 as the victim was making a left turn from Awamoku Street onto Farrington Highway in Waipahu with her tan Toyota vehicle. As she was turning, she was struck by a white van heading Koko Head-bound on Farrington.

The victim died a few hours later. The driver of the van was also taken to the hospital and was treated and released. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call officer Ray Helmken at 529-3523 or CrimeStoppers at 955-8300.

Police say Waianae man threatened sister

Police arrested a man for allegedly threatening his sister and her family multiple times Monday morning. The suspect, 43, lives with his sister, 33, in a house at Halona and Lualualei Homestead roads in Waianae. Police said that prior to 4:45 a.m. the two argued, and the suspect threatened his sister with a chain, police said.

Minutes later the suspect threatened her with a wooden club, then left. He came back several hours later with two 1-gallon cans of gasoline and told his sister that he was going to burn up her family and her vehicle, police said.

The suspect then allegedly poured the gasoline on his sister's car and on the porch steps, but before he could ignite the gas, police arrived and he was arrested for investigation of attempted criminal property damage, and two counts of terroristic threatening.

Man detained after driving on bike path

An auto theft suspect drew attention to himself when police spotted him driving an automobile on the Waipahu bicycle path Tuesday.

Solo bike officers saw the suspect, a 26-year-old male, while patrolling the area at about 10:30 a.m. and stopped him for driving on the bicycle path.

Further checks by police revealed that the license plate on the vehicle did not match the vehicle description.

The suspect was arrested for investigation of auto theft, fraudulent use of license plates and a contempt of court warrant.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Search for gunman ends with arrest

Kona police arrested a 25-year-old man for attempted murder late Wednesday after he allegedly fired at three state highway workers earlier in the day.

The shooting, in which none of the state workers was injured, happened at about 9 a.m.

Police searched through the day on the ground and in the air for the suspect. At about 10 p.m., Kona patrol officers spotted the man and confronted him as he was walking along Hawaii Belt Road near the 26-mile mark, about three miles from the scene of the earlier incident.

Police said the suspect allegedly reached into his waistband and tried to pull out a handgun, but the officers subdued and handcuffed him. The handgun was loaded and had laser sights.

They also recovered a pipe for smoking crystal methamphetamine.

Child is found a year after his abduction

A 7-year-old who was abducted from Kauai more than a year ago has been reunited with his father in California, the state attorney general's office said.

Jacob Goldschmidt was found in good health earlier this year in California. Officials did not release when he was found. His mother was arrested on charges of custodial interference, officials said.

State and Kauai authorities worked for more than a year to locate Goldschmidt, and tracked him to the West Coast.

In January he was featured on a missing-child mailer sent to millions of households nationwide, and was located after a tip to authorities from neighbors of the child's mother.

Man arrested in fight over custody of child

Police arrested a 31-year-old man who allegedly threatened the mother of his child with a handgun earlier this month.

On Feb. 1 the victim, 22, said she and the suspect were arguing over the custody of their 2-month-old daughter when the suspect slapped her and pointed a black handgun at her. The victim reported the incident to Waianae police, but officers could not locate the suspect until Wednesday.

He was arrested at the victim's residence for investigation of terroristic threatening and abuse.