Theft at veterans cemetery investigated
Hawaii County police are investigating the theft of about $24,785 worth of equipment from a veterans cemetery in March.
Among the items: a Trail King dual-axle trailer valued at $17,995, a small electric water pump with a metal pressurized tank valued at $600, a Honda weed trimmer worth $700, a Stihl backpack blower valued at $500 and other tools and equipment.
Police said the theft occurred between 2 p.m. March 12 and 8:30 a.m. March 13 at the West Hawaii Veterans Cemetery on Queen Kaahumanu Highway between the 88- and 89-mile markers across from the entrance to Kua Bay.
Police have opened a first-degree theft case.
Anyone with information about the theft or the whereabouts of the items is asked to call police at 935-3311 or Detective Sean Smith at 326-4646, ext. 262, or email sean.smith@hawaiicounty.gov.
Anonymous calls may be made to CrimeStoppers at 961-8300.
Man hit by bus on H-1 freeway identified
The city Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the 30-year-old Hawaii island man who died Wednesday after walking in front of a city bus on the H-1 freeway.
Brandon Pintherk of Hawi died of blunt force injuries to his head and torso. The cause of death was suicide, the Medical Examiner’s Office said.
Police said the man intentionally walked in front of the city bus on the westbound side of the freeway about a half-mile east of the Waipahu offramp at about 3 p.m. Police closed two lanes for about two hours to investigate, which led to a major rush-hour traffic jam.
Roger Morton, president and general manager of Oahu Transit Services, which operates TheBus, said the man entered the freeway on foot over traffic barriers on the right side of H-1 and was hit by a bus traveling on the freeway near a construction zone. The state Department of Transportation said the man was not a worker at the construction site.
Arrest made in alleged child sex assault
Police arrested a 41-year-old man at his Waipahu home Thursday for allegedly sexually assaulting a child.
Police said a 14-year-old girl disclosed she was sexually assaulted by the man on several occasions, including March 16.
The man was found, identified and arrested on suspicion of third-degree sexual assault at 4:04 p.m. Tuesday.
Warehouse fire causes $40,000 in damage
Firefighters responded to a Kaneohe warehouse fire at 4:25 p.m. Friday that caused $40,000 in damage.
When firefighters entered the warehouse, they discovered two vehicles engulfed in flames, a Fire Department spokesman said in an email.
The first of 34 firefighters arrived at 4:29 p.m. and found smoke coming out of the warehouse’s doors and windows.
They brought the fire under control at 4:52 p.m. and extinguished it at 5:02 p.m.
The cause remains under investigation. The damage was estimated at $5,000 to the structure and $35,000 to its contents.
No one was present at the time of the blaze.
