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Instructor's lawyer says there's more to story

The attorney for a dance instructor charged with sexually assaulting four female students urged the community not to rush to judgment until all the facts have come out.

"Obviously, there's more to the story than the allegations that have come forward so far," said Myron Takemoto, attorney for Daniel E. Jones.

Jones, 20, an instructor of the Rosalie Woodson Dance Academy, was expected to enter a not-guilty plea today in District Court.

There has been a tremendous support from his family, friends, the studio and people from the mainland, Takemoto said.

Takemoto said he will ask that a preliminary hearing be set for Friday. Jones remains free after posting $50,000 bail.

Jones is accused of four counts of first-degree sexual assault and 13 counts of third-degree sexual assault involving a 12- and 13-year-old and two 14-year-old girls.

Plan to extinguish landfill fire approved

The state Department of Health has approved a city plan to extinguish two smoldering underground fires at Waimanalo Gulch Landfill.

The fires are not visible from the surface of the landfill, nor is any smoke visible, Larry Lau, state deputy director for environmental health, said yesterday. The Leeward Coast landfill is owned by the city and operated by Waste Management Inc.

The city and its operator plan to try to smother the fire with a membrane and 5 feet of dirt, Lau said. In the meantime, Waste Management is doing 24-hour surveillance, he said.

The first fire was discovered last month during drilling to vent methane gas, which is formed from decomposing rubbish, said city spokesman Bill Brennan.

Drilling was stopped when an area of the landfill about 80 feet deep registered 200 degrees, Brennan said, indicating a fire.

"The first priority is to get the problem fixed," Lau said.

Lighters on flights banned

Starting tomorrow, cigarette lighters will no longer be allowed past security checkpoints at all airports in the United States.

Transportation Security Administration officials will seize and dispose of all lighters brought to checkpoints.

Lighters are already prohibited from checked baggage. However, air travelers have been allowed to have up to two disposable butane or Zippo-type lighters on their person or in their carry-on baggage.

That ends with tomorrow's ban.

Air travelers will still be allowed to carry up to four books of matches on their person or in their carry-on luggage. However, matches are prohibited in checked baggage.

The list of prohibited items can be found online at www.tsa.gov.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

LEEWARD OAHU

Convicted thief, 26, returns to rob bank

Keoni Hylton: He surrenders after allegedly robbing the same bank he robbed in 2001

Police say a 26-year-old man robbed the same Waipahu bank he was convicted of robbing four years ago.

Keoni Hylton turned himself in at the main police station yesterday for the Monday robbery of the Waipahu branch of American Savings Bank.

Hylton was convicted of two prior bank robberies, including the May 21, 2001, hold-up of the same American Savings Bank branch. Hylton was on supervised release after serving a portion of the three years and 10 months sentence for the two robberies.

He was charged yesterday with second-degree robbery.

Police said Hylton allegedly approached the teller at 10:30 a.m. Monday at the American Savings Bank at 94-060 Farrington Highway. The suspect told the teller he was armed and demanded money, police said.

Woman attacked man with knife, police say

Charges are pending against a 27-year-old Pearlridge woman for allegedly attacking her boyfriend, 26, with a knife yesterday morning.

Police said the couple got into an argument that escalated into violence at about 8:30 a.m. The man was trying to leave for work when the woman attacked him with a knife, police said.

The man got outside the home, and the woman again attacked him with the knife, police said. Police said the man received two minor knife wounds.

The woman was arrested on suspicion of second-degree attempted murder.

WINDWARD OAHU

Former classmate ID'd in beating by burglars

Police tracked down a Kailua man's assailant yesterday after he recognized the 23-year-old suspect from high school.

Police said the suspect was one of two men who allegedly burglarized a Kailua home and allegedly beat the 24-year-old male resident with two bats.

Two men allegedly broke into the Kailua home at 7:12 p.m. on March 8, their faces covered with the hoods of their sweaters.

The men beat the victim with baseball bats, "causing substantial bodily injury to him," police said. The victim pulled down the hood from one of the suspects during the beating and recognized him from high school.

The victim identified the suspect through a photographic lineup.

Police found and arrested the suspect yesterday on suspicion of first-degree burglary and second-degree assault.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Police seek 30-year-old serial car theft suspect

Kyle Keoni Quilausing: The Big Island man is suspected of stealing several cars

Big Island police are looking for a 30-year-old man suspected of several vehicle thefts.

The suspect, identified as Kyle Keoni Quilausing, is also wanted on five warrants.

Quilausing, who has no permanent address, was recently believed to frequent the Kapoho, Kalapana, area.

Quilausing is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing about 145 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information on Quilausing's whereabouts is asked to call Detective Robert Wagner at 961-2380, Detective Zack Houchin at 326-4646, extension 262, or the police nonemergency number at 935-3311.

Anonymous calls may be made to Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona.