When Wilma Pascua received a call from her 15-year-old daughter from the police station, she said, “;What did you do?!”;

Her daughter, Tyara, and 17-year-old Travis Kau witnessed a robbery and gave police detailed information, which led to the arrest of the suspect and a Civilian Letter of Commendation from the Honolulu Police Department.

On Jan. 22, the duo started jogging for Pearl City High School's wrestling practice when they saw a coach's 12-year-old son being robbed on Waimano Home Road.

Tyara Pascua and Kau approached the two suspected muggers, who were armed with a tire iron, but the “;much bigger”; suspect fled in a green Honda Civic. Kau remembered the license plate number and immediately called his father, a state deputy sheriff, and asked him to check the license number.

The teenagers provided police with a detailed description of the suspects and the vehicle. Officers found the suspects nearby and arrested them for investigation of robbery.

Tyara Pascua and Kau were recognized by police yesterday at the Second Quarter Awards Ceremony at Windward Mall.

“;I was shocked, 'cause we thought it was nothing,”; Kau said.

His mother, Deborah Kau, attended the ceremony and said she was proud of her son, but also afraid for him.

“;I was impressed. For him to get all the information down to the T, that was good. That's how they caught them,”; she said. “;I was afraid that the guy saw what he looked like and would come after him later.”;

Wilma Pascua echoed her thoughts. “;I'm kind of afraid with the police announcing this. What happens when they (the suspects) come out?”;

Tyara Pascua and Travis Kau were two of 17 award recipients recognized at the ceremony.

Vaovai Tavai Jr. and Opele Niupulusu received the highest civilian award, the Civilian Medal of Valor, for risking their lives and disarming a man in a Pearl City bar.

The two men were working as bouncers at Chez Monique Bar & Grill in Pearlridge on Nov. 18 when a customer reported a patron with a handgun about 3 a.m. The bouncers approached the man and struggled with him for the firearm. Tavai and Niupulusu were able to disarm him without the gun going off and the suspect was arrested across the street.

“;They prevented what could've been a very tragic situation. Who knows how many lives they could have saved?”; said police Maj. Dave Kajihiro.

OTHERS RECOGNIZED YESTERDAY:

» Unit of the Second Quarter: HPD Evidence Room

» Employee of the Quarter: Sgt. Ronald Kondo Jr.

» Letter of Commendation: Officer Paul Okamoto, Officer Darren K. Cachola, Kyle Machado

» Letter of Appreciation: Honolulu Fire Department pilot Lincoln Ishii, Karen Uranaka

» Auxiliary Officer Completion: Ferdinand Casabay, Ariel De Jesus, Dawn Estores, Aaron Lum, Stanton Oshiro

» Leikukui Award: Charles Heitzman