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State buckling down on vehicle safety

Police throughout the state will administer the "Click It or Ticket" seat belt enforcement campaign Monday to June 5.

Police will issue motorists and passengers a citation for not wearing their seat belt. Under state law, all front seat occupants and back seat passengers under 18 years old are required to wear a seatbelt. Those who are not wearing their seatbelt will be issued a $92 fine.

Last year, Hawaii ranked the second-highest in the nation for seat belt usage at 95.1 percent. Arizona was the first in the nation at 95.3 percent. The national seat belt use average is 80 percent.

"Hawaii's seat belt use has jumped from 80 percent to 95 percent over the last five years, thanks to the Click It or Ticket campaign," said state Transportation Director Rod Haraga.

"National statistics have shown that buckling up is the single most effective act that drivers can do to protect themselves in a crash," Haraga said.

Eighty-three people who died in traffic accidents last year in Hawaii were in their vehicles at the time. About half of them were not wearing their seat belts.

For more information about the "Click It or Ticket" campaign, contact the Safe Communities Office at 587-6300 or the visit the state Department of Transportation's Web site at www.state.hi.us/dot/publicaffairs.

Waianae man in court in manslaughter case

A Waianae man accused of kicking his girlfriend's father in the head -- causing his death -- appeared in Honolulu District Court yesterday on a charge of manslaughter.

Patrick Nunnally, 29, who was living with his girlfriend and her father at a friend's McArthur Street apartment got into an argument with Liugalua Samoa on Saturday, according to police. Friends broke up the fight and Samoa, who was bleeding slightly but apparently was OK, left to visit a friend at a nearby apartment.

As Samoa sat outside his friend's apartment, Nunnally allegedly approached him and kicked him at least once in the head, rendering him unconscious and bleeding in the mouth, said homicide Detective Kathleen Osmond in an affidavit.

Samoa lapsed into a coma resulting from the head injury. He died at the Queen's Medical Center on Sunday.

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Taking Notice

» "Because of Winn-Dixie," the story of a girl in the South who befriends a troublesome dog, won the 2005 Nene Award as the favorite children's book among Hawaii kids.

Nearly 8,000 children in grades four through six statewide voted for the 40th annual award at their public libraries or school libraries. The winner was announced Friday in a ceremony at Kapolei Public Library.

"Winn-Dixie" author Kate DiCamillo is scheduled to attend next year's award ceremony to accept her Nene.

"Because of Winn-Dixie" is the story of a 10-year-old girl who moves with her preacher father to Florida, where she rescues a big, ugly dog that is creating chaos at the Winn-Dixie grocery store. A movie based on the novel was released earlier this year.

Winners of related statewide children's essay-writing, poster and performance contests also were honored at the ceremony.

Essay winners, who wrote about why "Double Fudge" deserved the 2004 Nene Award, were Christianne Michel, a fourth-grader at Maryknoll School, and Rachel Ray, a fifth-grader at Kaneohe Elementary.

Poster contest winners were Tatiana Phu, fourth-grader at Maryknoll School, Matthew Ong, a Maryknoll fifth-grader, and Jordan-Matthew Kumasaka, a sixth-grader at Assets School.

Performance winners were fourth-graders Malia Funk and Nicole Aviles of Maryknoll for the skit, "Shoe Store -- Mom's Point of View."

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Body found in Puna identified by police

Big Island police have identified the body of a man found at a Fern Forest residence in Puna last week as 51-year-old Samuel Ray Zamrzla.

Police said he was found at his residence Friday and identified through dental records.

Detectives said they are awaiting the results of an autopsy to determine the cause of death, but say they have found no evidence of foul play.

LEEWARD OAHU

Police arrest 2 in Maili on gun charges

Police arrested two men in Maili on Sunday after finding a gun and drugs in their car.

Officers responded to a 9 a.m. call about a group of men gathered outside 87-847 Apuupuu Road.

Officers noticed one of them holding a gun, police said. Officers then found a shotgun and narcotics near where the men were standing.

Police arrested both men, ages 41 and 31, for investigation of firearm violations.