Police investigate potential drowning
in Kailua-Kona
Police are investigating a possible drowning that occurred near the public beach access at Hokulia in Kailua-Kona.
The victim has been positively identified as 17-year-old Yohan Choi from Kailua-Kona.
Shortly after 4:31 p.m. Monday, Kona patrol officers responded to a report of a missing spear fisherman near the Hokulia public beach access. It was reported that four spear fishermen, including Choi, entered the ocean at 1:30 p.m., and when three of them exited the ocean three hours later, Choi couldn’t be found.
A search was conducted, and Choi was found unresponsive on the ocean floor. He was brought ashore, and CPR was initiated until Hawaii Fire Department personnel arrived on the scene.
However, attempts to resuscitate Choi were unsuccessful, and he was pronounced dead at 5:29 p.m. at Kona Community Hospital.
Police have initiated a coroner’s inquest investigation and have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death. Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to call the police nonemergency at (808) 935-3311 or Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300.
Police renew request for info on missing Kona woman
Police are renewing their request for the community’s assistance in locating 32-year-old Jasmine Swartz of Kailua-Kona, who was reported missing by her family in April.
Swartz was last seen by her family about three years ago in Kona and is believed to be living in Waipahu, Oahu. In addition to being reported as a missing person, Swartz is wanted by police for two outstanding warrants for her arrest.
She is described as Asian, 4-feet-11 inches tall, 95 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Swartz has a tattoo of a black and pink ribbon-type bow on her inner left wrist.
Anyone with information on Swartz’s whereabouts is asked to call the police nonemergency line at (808) 935-3311 or Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300.
Police arrest 12
for DUI
During the week of July 17-23, Hawaii Island police arrested 12 motorists for DUI.
Three of the drivers were involved in a traffic collision. One was younger than 21.
The numbers of arrests by district were: Kona and Puna, four each; Hilo, three.
So far this year, there have been 548 DUI arrests compared to 580 during the same period last year, a decrease of 5.5%.
There have been 467 major collisions so far this year compared to 451 during the same period last year, an increase of 3.5%.
To date, there have been 10 official traffic fatalities, compared to 23 fatalities for the same time last year, a decrease of 56.5%.
DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue islandwide, police said.
Hawaii County’s COVID death toll reaches 253
Four new deaths from COVID-19 were reported for Hawaii County this week, including two men and two women.
One woman was between the ages of 40 and 49 who was not hospitalized but did have an underlying condition.
One man was between the ages of 60 and 69 who was hospitalized, but it is unknown whether he had an underlying condition.
A woman over the age of 80 was not hospitalized but did have an underlying condition, and another man over the age of 80 was hospitalized with an underlying condition.
Since the pandemic began in 2020, the death toll for Hawaii County has reached 253 people.
The statewide death toll has climbed to 1,911 people since the start of the pandemic.
Statewide, the Department of Health reported 10 deaths over the last week, the most since April of this year.
The DOH reports deaths once they are provided the official cause of death, which in some cases can take weeks or even months to determine.
The latest variant report from the DOH released July 18 confirmed that the omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 remains the dominant strain throughout the Hawaii County, accounting for 39% of all analyzed cases.
A new variant, EG.5, is quickly rising in the county, accounting for 30% of all analyzed cases, making it the second most dominant variant.
The World Health Organization on July 19 added EG.5 to the list of omicron variants being monitored.
The WHO added there is no evidence at this time that the EG.5 variant is fueling any rises in cases or deaths, or that infections involving the virus are more severe.
Correction
A hearing on a motion to hold federal fentanyl defendants Shannon Carreira and Roxanne Schwery without bail is set for 10:30 a.m. Friday before Magistrate Judge Kenneth Mansfield in Honolulu. A story in Wednesday’s edition had an incorrect day for the hearing. West Hawaii Today regrets the error.
