Fire crews clamber up cliffs

Firefighters battled a 4-acre wildfire in Nanakuli for more than 6 1/2 hours yesterday as brisk winds pushed the flames up steep cliffs of gulches just Ewa of Nanakuli Valley.

The Honolulu Fire Department got the call at about 12:30 p.m., and the fire was called 90 percent contained at 6:30 p.m. Capt. Terry Seelig said two tankers transported water from a Nanakuli Valley neighborhood hydrant to engines parked on the mauka side of Farrington Highway.

This required police to shut down the right Waianae-bound lane of Farrington Highway just after the Kahe Power Plant from about 12:41 to nearly 7 p.m., causing afternoon rush-hour traffic to back up past Kapolei, police dispatch reported.

Firefighters, carrying long hoses stretching hundreds of yards, then climbed 300 to 400 feet up near-vertical cliffs of rocky, uneven terrain, Seelig said. Other firefighters were brought up by helicopter, which also made water drops.

The fire did not threaten any homes or other structures.

Patient checks out in police custody

A 37-year-old Manoa woman entered Straub Clinic & Hospital for treatment of a possible drug overdose Tuesday and left in a police car.

Police said the woman's belongings were checked in to be inventoried after she was checked in for a possible drug overdose. But a nurse returning her belongings noticed that the woman had several different identification cards and checks that were not hers.

Police were called at about 12:30 p.m., and an ID card and the checks were determined to have been stolen and the woman was arrested, police said.

Examiner IDs 14-year-old who died

A 14-year-old boy who drowned over the weekend while fishing at a surf spot in Nanakuli was identified as Kody M. Kaitoku of Wahiawa, according to the city medical examiner.

Kaitoku apparently slipped on rocks while fishing alone Sunday. Family members found him partly submerged in the water at about 11:30 a.m. Lifeguards performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation until paramedics arrived. He was taken to a hospital where he later died.

The Medical Examiner's Office said Kaitoku also suffered blunt force injuries to his head.

Thieves steal equipment off boat

Kona police are asking for help in identifying thieves who boarded a commercial boat moored in Kailua Bay Tuesday night and stole cameras and an oversize yellow surfboard.

Anyone with information is asked to call officer Shane Davis at 326-4646, ext. 253, or the Police Department's nonemergency line at 935-3311.

Anonymous calls may be made to CrimeStoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona.

Police look into death of baby boy

Police are investigating the death of a 4-month-old boy who was found unconscious at 5:27 a.m. yesterday.

Police said the 26-year-old mother put her infant son to sleep at about 12:30 a.m.

When she checked on him later, she discovered he was unresponsive, police said.

The baby was taken to the hospital, but he could not be revived and was pronounced dead, police said.

The Medical Examiner's Office identified the baby as Akamai Furtado. The cause of death was unavailable yesterday.

Man indicted in robbery of Longs

A man who robbed Longs Drug Store in Kaimuki on May 8 got away with about $7,000, said Vickie Kapp, deputy prosecutor.

An Oahu grand jury returned an indictment Tuesday charging Richard C. Webb, 48, who has no known local address, with first-degree robbery and kidnapping. He remains in custody unable to post $50,000 bail.

Honolulu police said Webb robbed the Longs Kaimuki Shopping Center store May 8 at around 11:15 p.m.

Kapp said the defendant entered the store, grabbed the store manager by the arm and ordered her to open the store safe.

Police said Webb also said he had a gun. He fled after getting the money from the safe, police said. They arrested him Thursday at Ala Moana Center.