By local and wire sources
Two charged with burglary, theft and drug offenses
Two Kona residents are facing burglary, theft and drug charges after they allegedly sold stolen jewelry to a jewelry store in Kealakekua.
Kona patrol officers, working in cooperation with the victim of a home burglary and a jewelry store owner, learned that items taken in a February burglary had been sold to a jewelry store in Kealakekua, according to the Hawaii Police Department. The officers made arrangements for the store to notify police if the suspects returned to sell more items.
Tuesday afternoon, the suspects reportedly returned to the jewelry store with more stolen goods, according to police. The two were arrested in a parked car outside the store following the transaction.
Douglas Louis, 31, of Captain Cook, and Rashel Kahalioumi-Taketa, 34, of Holualoa, were held at the Kona police cellblock while police obtained a search warrant for the suspects’ car where evidence was reportedly recovered from additional crimes. The offenses occurred in December, January and February, according to police.
Detectives Thursday afternoon charged Louis with promoting a dangerous drug, possessing drug paraphernalia, three counts of burglary and six counts of theft. His bail was set at $130,000, according to police.
Kahalioumi-Taketa was charged with promoting a dangerous drug, possessing drug paraphernalia, four counts of burglary, six counts of theft and two counts of forgery. Her bail was set at $30,500, according to police.
The two remain at the cellblock pending initial court appearances.
Police seek missing Puna man
Big Island police are searching for a 25-year-old Puna man who was reported missing in December.
Robert Manuel De Castro was last seen Dec. 20 on Ainaloa Drive in Pahoa, according to the Hawaii Police Department. He has a medical condition that requires medication.
He is also wanted for questioning in an unrelated incident.
De Castro is described as Caucasian, 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighing 260 pounds with brown hair, blue eyes and tattoos on his right arm, according to police.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts should contact Detective Grant Todd at 961-2385 or by email at gtodd@co.hawaii.hi.us.
Those who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 329-8181 in Kona or 961-8300 in Hilo. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.
Police locate missing Laupahoehoe man
Big Island police have located 25-year-old Thomas Elijah Cummings IV of Laupahoehoe, who was being sought.
He was arrested Tuesday afternoon in Hamakua on suspicion of continuous sexual assault of a minor, but released Thursday after police conferred with prosecutors, according to the Hawaii Police Department.
Taxis protest credit card payments
HONOLULU — Some Honolulu airport taxi drivers are participating in a work stoppage in protest over new rules, including requiring the acceptance of credit cards from passengers.
Ampco Express manages the taxi system and entered into a five-year contract with the state at the beginning of the month that requires new guidelines including a dress code and allowing credit card payments.
Driver Abraham Martin is organizing the work stoppage. He said Ampco is forcing the changes in the middle of a contract that runs through June. Ampco did not respond to a request for comment.
State Department of Transportation spokesman Dan Meisenzahl says the new rules are aimed at improving customer service.
He says the work stoppage won’t have a severe impact because most cabbies are still working.
Kauai police use stun gun to arrest student
KAPAA, Kauai — A Kauai high school student is free on bail a day after police subdued him with a stun gun while arresting him on campus.
Police say 18-year-old Kapaa High student Tumua Masaniai was at school Wednesday when an officer recognized him as a robbery and assault suspect
He allegedly threatened officers who were attempting to handcuff him. Police say that after repeated warnings that a stun gun would be used, Masaniai continued to make threats and resist arrest.
An officer then used a stun gun on a standing Masaniai. He was arrested and taken to a cellblock after being evaluated at a hospital.
He is charged with robbery, unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, resisting arrest and terroristic threatening. He posted $16,100 bail and couldn’t be reached for comment Thursday.
Disrespectful behavior bill advances in House
HONOLULU — Disrespectful or contemptuous behavior at the Legislature could become a petty misdemeanor under a bill moving through the state House.
The House Judiciary committee advanced the bill, despite receiving vehement opposition at a hearing in February, when many testifiers questioned the constitutionality of the measure and acted on their First Amendment right to free speech as they testified.
Representatives from Citizens for the Separation of State and Church stated that if the bill passes into law, they’ll contest it in court.
The state attorney general expressed concerns about bill’s language. For instance, if heckling and booing could be penalized, but not cheering and applauding, it could be a content-based restriction on free speech.
The committee relaxed the bill’s original draft and reduced the maximum penalty to 10 days in jail.
Report: Honolulu rail trains can seat only 64
HONOLULU — A report raises concerns that commuters won’t use Honolulu’s planned rail system because trains won’t have enough seats for passengers.
The report by a private consultant hired by the federal government notes the two-car trains would hold 318 passengers, but would only have 64 seats, requiring more than 200 riders to stand.
The report says it may not be realistic to expect passengers to endure long commutes while standing.
Ansaldo Honolulu JV won a $1.4 billion contract to produce the train cars and rail operating system.
The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation says Ansaldo will be asked to add six seats to each car.
Hawaii Marine son died a year after head injury
HONOLULU — The son of a Hawaii Marine was about 3 months old when he was rushed unconscious to a base fire station last year.
The baby spent the rest of his short life unconscious, at a hospital and then at a long-term care facility.
Those details emerged after the 14-month-old child died Monday at a Honolulu hospital and as the military investigates his death as a homicide.
Marine Corps Base Hawaii started a child abuse investigation last March 19 when Zayden Lonergan arrived at the fire station. Honolulu police later turned the investigation over to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
“His parents drove him to a fire station and paramedics transported him to the hospital, where he was found to have skull fractures,” NCIS spokesman Ed Buice said. “The baby never regained consciousness after the incident last March.”
The Honolulu medical examiner’s office said an autopsy conducted Tuesday showed the cause of death to be “complications of cranial cerebral injuries due to abusive head trauma” and that the manner of death was a homicide.
No one was in custody and no charges have been filed, Buice said.
Zayden’s father, Sgt. David Lonergan, is an active duty Marine stationed at the base.He lived on the base with his girlfriend, Buice said.
Philippines delegation to be honored at Capitol
HONOLULU — A delegation from the League of Cities of the Philippines is coming to Hawaii to strengthen ties with the state.
The visit will mark the first time a formal agreement is established between an organization of foreign cities and American state. The agreement will formalize ties between Hawaii and the Philippines to promote increased political, economic and cultural cooperation.
The league represents 122 cities and 40 million people in the Philippines.
The 12 mayor delegation from the Philippines will be honored by the state House today at noon. Then, at 6 p.m., they will go to Washington Place to sign a memorandum of agreement with the state.
Gov. Neil Abercrombie, county mayors and legislators will be in attendance.
By local and wire sources