Karate instructor accused in sex assault of student

The Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii cut its ties last year with a 31-year-old karate instructor and karate school owner charged Wednesday with sexually assaulting a male student at the center in Moiliili.

“;We took action immediately upon any suspicion of wrongdoing,”; said Allicyn Tasaka, the center's chief operating officer.

Michael Shimabukuro turned himself in Wednesday at the main police station. He was charged with first-degree sexual assault and one count of third-degree sexual assault and was released on $250,000 bail.

Shimabukuro allegedly sexually assaulted the boy, now 17, between May and August 2008, police said, which means the boy was possibly 15 at the time.

The center had been apprised of the allegations regarding Shimabukuro by people within the karate community, Tasaka said.

The center terminated its lease agreement in early November with Shimabukuro's Hawaii Karate Association by mutual agreement.

Driver who allegedly hit traffic reporter is cited

Honolulu police issued a traffic citation yesterday to a 35-year-old Waimanalo man who allegedly drove the wrong way on the H-1 freeway last month and hit a car driven by traffic reporter Jason Yotsuda.

Lt. David Nilsen of the HPD Traffic Division said the citation was issued after investigating officers followed up on leads since the Feb. 15 incident.

Police 911 tapes indicate that a man driving a dark-colored pickup truck, going Koko Head, entered the Waianae-bound lanes of the freeway from the School Street offramp at about 4:44 a.m., narrowly missing at least two cars and hitting a Toyota driven by Yotsuda, who swerved to avoid a head-on collision. Yotsuda was not injured in the crash.

The driver apparently left the freeway at the Pali Highway exit.

Nilsen said the suspect was picked up for driving under the influence later in the morning. Police were able to examine the suspect's vehicle.

Nilsen declined to release the suspect's name. The suspect was cited for leaving the scene of an accident, which is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $2,000.