NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Disabled truck rolls, killing man

HILO » A Kona man died Wednesday when the pickup truck he was in rolled backward into a ditch and overturned, pinning the victim, police said.

The name of the 61-year-old Kealakekua man was not released.

The accident occurred while the victim sat in the driver's seat of the truck, whose motor would not start, police said.

The truck rolled down Kealaola Street until it hit the ditch, they said. The man was not wearing a seat belt.

Airline passenger faces drug charges

HILO » Police arrested a 46-year-old Kailua-Kona man last Friday at Kona Airport for allegedly smuggling cocaine with an estimated street value of $6,000.

Police learned James Potts Jr. was allegedly smuggling cocaine on a flight from California, according to a Hawaii County Police Department news release.

Police recovered approximately three ounces of suspected cocaine from Potts, according to the release.

Authorities charged him with one count each of promoting a dangerous drug and drug paraphernalia. Bail was set at $3,000.

HONOLULU

Suspect sought in motorcycle theft

Police are looking for a man who robbed a 30-year-old motorcyclist of his vehicle early yesterday morning in Kalihi.

Police said the 30-year-old was operating his motorcycle in the parking lot of a Kalihi business when a man approached him at about 12:10 a.m. yesterday.

The man, wielding a knife, allegedly punched the motorcyclist and stole his motorcycle, police said.

Police have opened up a first-degree robbery case.

Victim thwarts attempted robbery

Police are looking for a man and woman in their late 30s who robbed a 21-year-old man waiting at a Honolulu bus stop yesterday.

Police said the victim was first approached by the man, who demanded money and threatened him with a box cutter-type blade.

The victim was fearful and told the suspect he would go to an ATM at a nearby convenience store, so he and the suspect walked to the store, police said.

Upon entering the store, the victim began yelling for the cashier to call 911, police said.

The suspect fled on foot.

The male suspect is described as 160 pounds, with a medium build, wearing a dark shirt and pants. The woman is described as weighing 140 pounds with a heavy build.

Police have not found the suspects.

Robbery suspect turns himself in

A 19-year-old Kalihi man suspected of robbing a liquor store at gunpoint and trying to rob the same store two more times turned himself in to police Wednesday.

The suspect was encouraged to turn himself in by his sister who recognized him in a surveillance photo she saw in a CrimeStoppers bulletin on the TV news, police said.

Police said the suspect entered Y-7 Liquor Store at 1323 Gulick Ave. at 7:40 p.m. Jan. 19, approached the female owner, showed her a handgun in his waistband and demanded money. He then fled with cash, police said. A video surveillance camera recorded the robbery, police said.

On Jan. 25 the same man allegedly returned at 12:30 p.m. to the store, approached the male shop owner and allegedly demanded money. When the owner refused, the suspect fled, police said.

The man tried again the next day and displayed a gun to the female owner and demanded money, police said. He fled without getting any cash, possibly on a mo-ped, police said.

The suspect was arrested at 8:25 p.m. for investigation of first-degree robbery.