Kona man, 49, drowns after large wave capsizes boat

Kona police said a man drowned early yesterday evening after his small inflatable boat capsized in Heeia Bay.

Police cited witness reports that a 49-year-old man and a 13-year-old girl, both from Kona, were motoring off Keauhou when the waves grew larger. When they turned out to sea, the boat was hit by a large wave, tipping it over, police said.

Witnesses saw the two surface and begin swimming to shore, but they were getting “;pounded on the rocks,”; police said. Those on the beach yelled to the two to go back out, which the girl did.

A rider on a personal watercraft rescued the girl. The man, however, was reportedly dashed against the rocks and drowned, police said. Firefighters later recovered the man's body.

He was taken to Kona Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. No further details were available.

Pair charged in robberies to appear in court today

An alleged bank robber and accomplice are to appear in court today in connection with the robberies of Central Pacific Bank in Moiliili and Hawaii National Bank in Kaimuki.

Gregg Inoshita, 48, and Gisele Souza, 45, were being held without bail after they were charged Friday with bank robbery.

Inoshita and Souza were arrested in Waikiki just hours after the robbery Thursday afternoon at Hawaii National Bank on Waialae Avenue.

Federal charges were filed Friday against Inoshita for both bank robberies and against Souza for the Hawaii National Bank robbery.

Police said the Central Pacific robber apparently left his state ID card behind after handing the teller a demand note and used money he took from the bank to pay for a cab.

Man found floating in pool in Mililani is identified

The Medical Examiner's Office identified a man who was found unresponsive in a Mililani residential swimming pool at 7:30 a.m. yesterday as Lonnie Shaw of Mililani.

Police said efforts to revive the 43-year-old man failed.

Shaw was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. There were no signs of foul play.

Firefighters extinguish last remnants of Maui blaze

After seven days of battling a Maui brush fire that burned through difficult terrain, fire officials finally declared it extinguished at 1:30 p.m. yesterday.

The fire burned an estimated 400 acres of vacant land mauka of Ohukai Road in South Kihei, according to a Maui County news release.

The fire was brought under control Wednesday, and firefighters had monitored the area for hot spots. Forty-five firefighters aided by helicopters, bulldozers and water tankers fought to keep the fire from spreading to nearby homes.