Senior dies in apparent drowning

A man who appeared to be in his 90s apparently drowned in waters off Ala Moana Beach Park yesterday afternoon.

City lifeguards pulled him from near-shore waters at 3:31 p.m. and performed lifesaving measures on him until paramedics arrived and transported him in critical condition to a hospital, said Bryan Cheplic, spokesman for the city Emergency Medical Services Department.

The man was pronounced dead at the hospital, Cheplic said.

1 arrested, 3 sought in kidnapping

A man was arrested Sunday night in connection with the kidnapping of two men in Kaneohe over the weekend, and police are on the lookout for three other suspects.

A 24-year-old man was abducted Friday on the Windward side by four unknown men armed with firearms and wearing ski masks, police said. The man was bound and blindfolded and taken to a home at an unknown part of the island, where he was threatened with harm unless he agreed to lure another man to an undisclosed location on the Windward side, police said.

The first victim agreed, and on Saturday the second victim showed up at the home, where he too was abducted, police said.

On Sunday both men were being transported to another location on the Windward side when an off-duty Honolulu police officer noticed a van parked in the middle of Likelike Highway with its rear doors open, police said. The officer saw two men assaulting a third man in the back of the van.

When the officer attempted to intervene, the van took off with the two suspects and beating victim still inside. A second victim, however, fell out of the van and was taken to the Kaneohe Police Station, where he told police what happened.

HPD patrol officers then checked surrounding areas and were able to locate one of the suspects. They also located the second victim.

The first suspect, 29, is being investigated for two counts of kidnapping. He was captured on Awanenene Street, near Hoomaluhia Botanical Gardens.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Police ID woman who died in crash

HILO » Big Island police have identified a woman who died in a traffic accident as 31-year-old Stella Corona of Kealakekua.

They say Corona was pronounced dead Sunday after the car she was driving collided with an oncoming car that crossed the center line of Hawaii Belt Road in South Kona.

The other driver, a 26-year-old man, was arrested on numerous charges, including negligent homicide, manslaughter, habitual operation of a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant and driving while license suspended/revoked for DUI.

The man was in serious condition at Kona Community Hospital, as were two passengers from Corona’s car.

Police believe alcohol was a factor in the crash.

Hilo woman says robbers assaulted her

Big Island police are investigating a robbery in which males stole a fanny pack from a woman in Hilo last week.

A 44-year-old Hilo woman reported that she was sunbathing at Carlsmith Beach Park at about 4:30 p.m. last Tuesday.

Several males were drinking nearby, and when she attempted to leave the area, one of them hit her on the back of the head several times, punched her in the face and stole a black fanny pack with contents, police said.

The assailant is described as a male, about 5 feet 9 inches tall with short hair.

Police ask that anyone with information about this case call detective Wendall Carter at 961-2378 or the Police Department’s nonemergency line at 935-3311. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call CrimeStoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona.