Quake hits north of Friendly Isle
A small earthquake struck north of Molokai on Wednesday afternoon.
The quake, with a preliminary magnitude of 3.4, struck at 4:40 p.m. at a depth of 2.9 miles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It was centered 39 miles north of Kualapuu, Molokai, and 45 miles east-northeast of Kailua.
No tsunami advisory was issued.
The USGS "Did you feel it?" webpage for the quake received several initial responses from Molokai and Oahu, including one from Kapolei, about 66 miles from the epicenter.
Dog killer found not guilty
A 37-year-old woman accused of killing her pet dog because it persisted in sniffing her 9-year-old daughter at their Haleiwa home was found not guilty Tuesday by reason of insanity.
Circuit Judge Richard Perkins’ ruling ended the case against Andrea Fiegle, who faced one count of felony cruelty to animals. Fiegle was accused of slicing the dog’s throat on April 29, 2013.
Police said Fiegle told them she cut the dog’s throat with a 12-inch kitchen knife at her Paalaa Road home after losing her temper. She said the dog sniffed her daughter’s "private area" and didn’t listen to commands to stop.
Prosecutors have said Fiegle’s daughter contradicted what her mother told police.
The daughter told police her mother injured herself before killing the dog. She told police that her mother picked up a rock at the park and hit herself in the head with it.
A police report said Fiegle called 911 to report that she had killed the dog. Police found the dog’s remains in a garbage bag.
Pair arrested in robbery
Hawaii County police arrested two Kona men in a robbery in which one of the two victims was bludgeoned Tuesday morning.
Police said one of the suspects approached the two victims — Kailua-Kona men, ages 25 and 23 — who were acquaintances of the suspect. Using a blunt object, he allegedly struck the 25-year-old in the head, arms and legs and stole both their backpacks at 1:57 a.m. outside a restaurant on Henry Street in Kailua-Kona.
The suspect fled in a black sedan driven by a second man, police said.
The 25-year-old man was taken to Kona Community Hospital with serious head injuries, and was later transferred to the Queen’s Medical Center, where he was in stable condition Tuesday afternoon, police said.
Police arrested a 43-year-old man who was driving a car matching the description of the getaway car, on a bench warrant, and he was later charged with violating probation. Detectives arrested him at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday on suspicion of robbery.
Police arrested a 28-year-old man at 1:25 p.m. Tuesday on suspicion of robbery.
Woman hurt on water slide
A 31-year-old Granite Bay, Calif., woman was injured Wednesday while going down a water slide at Kahoma Ranch in a remote, mountainous area in West Maui.
Maui firefighters used all-terrain vehicles to respond at 12:31 p.m. to the site.
The woman complained of back pain. Rescuers took her by helicopter to a landing zone and she was then taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center in stable condition.
