Separate house fires displace 2 Maui families

Fire displaced two families in separate house fires on Maui yesterday.

One fire, reported at 10:04 a.m. in Kahului, displaced a mother, her five children and family dog.

The Maui Fire Department said the fire caused an estimated $135,000 damage to the one-story, single-family home on Kuhuoi Place and $20,000 damage to its contents.

No one was injured in the fire. Investigators have not determined the cause.

The other fire, reported at 4:36 a.m. in Waiehu, displaced two adults—a mother and her son—and two children.

The American Red Cross is assisting both families with food and clothing. It has also placed the Waiehu family in a hotel.

Woman is arrested for alleged July assault

Police arrested a 21-year-old Kaimuki woman yesterday who allegedly assaulted a 26-year-old woman during an altercation last year in Waikiki.

The incident happened July 6 at about 3 a.m. when the victim left an elevator and a man grabbed her buttocks, police said.

The suspect assaulted the woman as she was arguing with the man, police said.

Officers arrested the woman at the main police station on suspicion of second-degree assault. She was later released pending further investigation.

Copter picks up woman injured on Mokulua

A fire helicopter picked up a woman in her 20s yesterday after she injured her ankle while on the Mokulua Islands.

The woman had kayaked to the islands with a group of people and hurt her ankle while hiking in a tidal pool area on the backside of the larger island, said Honolulu Fire Capt. Terry Seelig.

The injury prevented her from walking and her friends called for help.

Ocean safety personnel and firefighters reached the woman by watercraft and prepared her for the flight.

A fire helicopter took her to Kailua Beach Park and transferred her to paramedics at 1:21 p.m.

Schofield soldier charged in robbery

A 22-year-old Schofield Barracks soldier has been charged with robbing a gas station in Kahala early Wednesday morning.

Michael J. Bergeron remained in custody yesterday, unable to post $30,000 bail for a first-degree robbery charge.

Police said Bergeron robbed the mini-mart at 12:43 a.m. with a tire iron. He fled, but patrol units saw him in the area later that morning, recognizing him by a description the victim gave to officers. Bergeron was arrested at 4211 Waialae Ave. about 9:50 a.m.

Routine traffic stop results in drug arrest

Police arrested a 49-year-old man for a drug offense after a routine traffic stop.

At 1:23 a.m. yesterday, an officer stopped the man on Hanaloa Street and saw a small plastic bag containing a crystal-like substance on the driver's seat, police said.

The man was arrested on suspicion of a third-degree dangerous drugs offense.