Gas leak cancels recess in Kapolei

Kapolei Middle School students were kept indoors because of a gas leak caused when tree cutters accidentally cut a line yesterday morning.

The break occurred next to the school cafeteria on the northwestern side of the school and about 360 of the school’s 1,000 students were moved away from the area after the 8:45 a.m. incident, fire Capt. Terry Seelig said.

Students were told to stay indoors as a precautionary measure while the Gas Co. worked on a permanent fix. That caused the youths to miss their morning recess but they were not harmed or evacuated. A portion of Kapolei Parkway was shut down for about half an hour.

The situation was declared under control at 9:20 a.m., acting Battalion Chief Brandon Uehara said.

Theft of hockey gear thwarted

An 18-year-old Aiea man was arrested yesterday at the Ice Palace in Halawa after he allegedly tried to steal items belonging to a hockey team visiting from Alaska.

Police said a man, 51, watched the suspect in a storage room rifling through personal items belonging to the team at about 6 p.m. The suspect, of Moanalua Loop, was detained and later arrested on suspicion of second-degree attempted theft.

Teen arrested in 7-Eleven robbery

A 17-year-old boy was arrested in connection with an armed robbery at a Kalihi 7-Eleven earlier this month.

The teen is suspected of being one of four males who robbed the North King Street convenience store April 6 at about 12:45 a.m.

Police said a store clerk, a 54-year-old man, was confronted by four males, one of whom brandished a semi-automatic handgun. Another held the door open while two others took merchandise.

The teen arrested Tuesday night, believed to be one of those grabbing merchandise, was identified and arrested on suspicion of first-degree robbery. The three other suspects are still being sought.

Pedestrian hit on road identified

The pedestrian who was killed Monday night while crossing Honoapiilani Highway in Lahaina was identified yesterday as Douglas Robert Payne, 55, Maui police said.

Payne had no local address, police said.

Payne was crossing the highway near Kenui Street when he was struck by a vehicle heading south on the highway at 7:49 p.m., police said. He was walking makai in an unlit area and was not in a crosswalk, police said. Paramedics took him to Maui Memorial Medical Center, where he died.

Tax preparer gets prison for false data

A Kauai tax preparer has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for falsifying information on tax returns for his clients.

Federal prosecutors said 66-year-old Dennis Nimkie admitted he prepared individual tax returns for clients that he knew contained false expenses to obtain tax refunds or reduce their tax liability.

U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright also ordered Nimkie to pay a total of $116,000 in restitution to four of his former clients and the federal government.

Police plan checkpoints to curb DUI

Hawaii County police announced they will conduct drunken-driving checkpoints and roving patrols beginning tomorrow and continuing through the Merrie Monarch Festival next week.

Police remind the public that the county Mass Transit Agency maintains a Shared-Ride Taxi program year-round. People may buy subsidized taxi coupons for as low as $2 each and use them with participating taxi companies. For details, call 961-8744 or visit www.heleonbus.org/shared-ride-taxi-program.