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POSTED: Monday, January 12, 2009

Man dies trying to rescue kayakers

A 57-year-old Kailua-Kona man died yesterday while trying to help two kayakers caught in rough surf near Kaiwi Point, Big Island authorities said.

Robert Lewis, 57, was taken to the Kona Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Police said at about 8:50 a.m., Lewis's motor shut down as he was trying to help the kayakers. The surf picked up his 18-foot fiberglass craft and smashed it into the shoreline, throwing a 57-year-old Kailua-Kona woman from the boat into the water. The kayakers helped the woman to shore. She was taken to the Kona Community Hospital in guarded condition.

A fire broke out on the 18-foot fiberglass craft and was extinguished by the rough surf, police said.

When a fire rescue boat crew arrived, they found one of the kayakers aboard another boat and the other already on shore. Lewis was floating face down next to the boat's debris. Police ordered an autopsy to determine Lewis's cause of death.

 

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Police say alcohol factored in crash

Alcohol appears to be a factor in the Big Island's first fatal traffic crash this year, Big Island police said.

Richard M. Green, 20, of Ocean View died at Kona Community Hospital at 11:28 p.m. Saturday, police said.

He was in the front passenger seat of a 2003 Honda sedan and was wearing his seat belt.

At 8:31 p.m. Saturday the driver of the sedan, a 20-year-old Kailua-Kona man, drove through a red light, heading eastbound on Nani Kailua Drive, police said. The car was hit by a flatbed tow truck headed north on Queen Kaahumanu Highway.

The driver and a rear-seat passenger of the sedan and the 32-year-old driver of the tow truck were taken to Kona Community Hospital in good condition, police said.

Traffic enforcement unit officers have opened a negligent-homicide case and ordered an autopsy. At this time last year, there was one traffic fatality on the Big Island.

 

HONOLULU

Man, 19, charged in Kalihi shooting

Authorities charged a 19-year-old man Saturday with second-degree attempted murder in the Halloween shooting of a 16-year-old boy.

Erwin Caddali, who has no local address, was being held on $35,000 bail. Caddali approached the boy as he played basketball at a Kalihi park, police said.

He allegedly fired two shots, one of them hitting the boy. Police did not disclose the boy's condition. Police said Caddali was involved earlier in the day in a fight with the boy.

 

Waipahu man, 75, accused of assault

A 75-year-old Waipahu man was arrested Saturday on suspicion of assaulting a 41-year-old man in Waipahu.

Police said that at about 12:40 p.m. the victim was sitting in his car waiting for his girlfriend when the older man pulled up and yelled at him for unknown reasons.

The victim tried to drive away, but the older man allegedly blocked his path. When the younger man opened his car door, the older man assaulted him, causing bodily injuries, police said.

Police arrested the man on suspicion of first-degree unauthorized entry into a vehicle.