Victim in house fire may have set the blaze
A 66-year-old man is suspected of setting the fire that destroyed his Aiea home Thursday afternoon, police said Friday.
The man is in critical condition in the hospital with burns suffered in the fire at a cottage at 98-139 Honomanu St.
He has not been arrested, police said.
Fire investigators were still trying to determine the cause of the fire, which started in the back of the cottage, said Honolulu fire Capt. Terry Seelig.
A good Samaritan helped the man, who lives alone in the cottage, climb out of a window, Seelig said.
Others tried to put the fire out with garden hoses, including one man who apparently inhaled smoke. Paramedics treated him at the scene.
A larger home next door sustained heat damage. Damage to the next-door home and the destroyed cottage was estimated at $70,000.
About 40 firefighters responded at 2:07 p.m. to the two-alarm fire, which was brought under control by 2:12 p.m.
Man held in alleged sex assault of boy
Police arrested a 56-year-old homeless man Thursday afternoon in connection with the sexual assault of a teenage boy at a Waimanalo park more than a month ago, police said.
The suspect allegedly assaulted the 14-year-old boy, who is not an acquaintance, in the Sherwood Forest section of Waimanalo Bay State Recreation Area at about midnight April 18, police said. The man was arrested at the park at about 2 p.m. Thursday.
He is being held for investigation of three counts of first-degree sexual assault.
Woman arrested after scuffle with officer
An argument between a Waianae woman and her son Thursday ended with the arrest of the mother after she allegedly tried to take an arresting police officer’s handgun.
Police said the 41-year-old woman began shoving her juvenile son during an argument. When a police officer tried to intervene, the woman tried to keep the officer out of her yard on Wideman Street by shutting a metal gate door on the officer’s leg, police said.
During the struggle with the police officer, the woman grabbed the officer’s gun, causing the magazine to eject. The woman was subdued and arrested on suspicion of attempted first-degree theft of a firearm, first-degree terroristic threatening, harassment of a police officer, resisting arrest and threatening the welfare of a minor.
Police apprehend armed-robbery suspect
Hawaii County police arrested a 24-year-old Hilo man suspected of robbing at gunpoint a service station employee in Hilo early Friday morning.
The man allegedly brandished a gun when demanding money at 12:30 a.m. from an employee at a Kekuanaoa Street service station, then fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of money, police said.
The employee was not injured, police said.
Through their investigation, police identified the man and arrested him at his home at about 12:30 p.m. on suspicion of robbery, two counts of terroristic threatening, shoplifting and theft.
