Accident cuts power, creates traffic jam

A car hit a utility pole on Kalanianaole Highway near Portlock Road Thursday, knocking out power for several hours and snarling traffic through the night as police routed cars away from the leaning wooden pole.

The accident took place at about 3:30 p.m., cutting off electricity to the nearby Koko Marina Center and about 300 other Hawaiian Electric Co. customers.

With the pole tilting precariously against a wall, most eastbound traffic was diverted mauka onto Keahole Street. Other vehicles continued east and were routed around the area via Portlock Road.

Eastbound traffic was backed up as far as McCully.

Power was restored by about 6 p.m. to most customers, including the shopping center, HECO spokes­man Darren Pai said. The remaining seven customers were expected to be without power for some time as HECO worked to replace the pole.

Woman charged with ‘laundering’ checks

A 58-year-old Waianae woman is accused of "washing" checks so she could put her name on them and deposit the money in her bank account, police said.

Police arrested the woman in Wai­anae on Wednesday and charged her with forgery and attempted theft.

Police said the woman removed the payees’ names from the checks, filled in her name and deposited the money in her bank account between May 7 and 14, 2011.

She allegedly used the money to pay bills, police said.