HAWAI'I BRIEFS
Woman in yard fatally hit by car
Advertiser Staff
An 88-year-old Honalo woman suffered fatal injuries Wednesday when she was hit by a car while gardening in her front yard off Route 180.
Police said a southbound 1987 Suzuki multipurpose vehicle ran off the right side of the road and struck Mildred Mitamura at about 2:40 p.m. The accident occurred about a half-mile north of the Kuakini Highway intersection.
Mitamura was taken to Kona Community Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 6:26 p.m. Police arrested the driver, a 62-year-old Captain Cook man, on suspicion of negligent homicide, but later released him while the case is investigated.
The Big Island has recorded 19 traffic fatalities this year, the same as at this time a year ago.
WAIKIKI
TEEN INJURES EAR IN DIVE ACCIDENT
The left ear of a 15-year-old boy was nearly severed during a diving accident yesterday afternoon in Waikiki.
The boy had just jumped off the wall at the Kapahulu Groin when another boy jumped in, said Bryan Cheplic, spokesman for the city Department of Emergency Services. Cheplic said the knee of the second boy, 15, hit the first boy on the ear and partially severed it.
The boy was taken to The Queen's Medical Center in serious condition, but he was stable. Cheplic said doctors were working yesterday to reattach the ear.
The other boy was treated at Queen's for minor injuries, Cheplic said.
'AIEA
WOMAN ARRESTED IN KNIFE ATTACK
A 43-year-old 'Aiea woman was arrested yesterday after police said her boyfriend and another woman were attacked with a knife.
The woman was being held by police last night and faced charges of second-degree attempted murder and assault.
The incident began about 4 p.m. when the woman entered her boyfriend's 'Aiea house and found him watching TV with a 28-year-old woman. The older woman became angry and went into the man's bedroom and returned with a large kitchen knife, police said.
Police said the woman threatened to kill the younger woman, chased her and attempted to stab her. The man intervened and was stabbed in the arm, police said.
The man was taken to an area hospital where he was treated and released.
Police located the woman and arrested her without incident.
KALIHI
FAKE BILLS, ICE PIPE LEAD TO ARREST
Police arrested a 43-year-old man in Kalihi on Wednesday after finding him asleep in a car, clutching a fistful of what appeared to be counterfeit $100 bills.
A patrol officer spotted a parked car about 10:20 a.m. with the driver slumped over to one side, police said. Since there was damage to the front of the car, the patrol officer stopped to check whether the driver needed help.
The officer noted that the man was holding the "money," a pair of scissors and strips of paper that appeared to have been trimmed from the bills. The officer woke up the man and ordered him out of the car. A glass crystal meth pipe allegedly fell out of the man's waistband as he got out of the vehicle.
The officer arrested him on suspicion of first-degree forgery, third-degree promotion of dangerous drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.
KAUA'I
NEW OVERSIGHT FOR WEEDING EFFORT
The Koke'e Resource Conservation Program, an innovative, volunteer-driven forest weed control effort that for eight years has been under the jurisdiction of Hui O Laka, has moved under the oversight of Garden Island Resource Conservation and Development.
The weed management effort, founded and run by Katie Cassel, has employed volunteers to do 10,000 hours of weed control work each year in the upland forests of Kaua'i.
STATEWIDE
AARP SEEKS HELP FOR TAX RETURNS
AARP Hawaii is looking for volunteers for its tax-aide program which assists taxpayers with moderate to low incomes to prepare returns during the upcoming Feb. 1 to April 15 tax season.
Volunteers will be required to attend a free tax preparation course in January 2007. The Internal Revenue Service certified course is for either five or 10 days, depending on the experience of volunteers.
For information, call 955-5776.
