Police have arrested a man suspected of fondling and trying to kidnap a 9-year-old girl at the Lucky Strike Social arcade at Ala Moana Center on March 19.
The 45-year-old suspect was arrested at 8:15 a.m. Saturday on Nuuanu Avenue for investigation of kidnapping and six counts of third-degree sexual assault. He was being held at the Honolulu police cell block pending charges.
According to police, a man followed the girl around the arcade as she played games while her nanny was preoccupied with friends. The man approached the girl and touched her buttocks, police said. He then followed her into a photo booth and grabbed her, police said. After a brief struggle, the girl got away by kicking her assailant.
The man immediately left. Police released a surveillance video of the man at the arcade to help track down the suspect.
Fire damages garage in Palolo home
Honolulu firefighters are investigating the cause of a garage fire Saturday in Palolo.
Eleven units with 44 firefighters responded to the blaze in the 3600 block of Keaolele Place at about 1 p.m. and found heavy black smoke coming from a one-story residential home, said Honolulu fire Capt. Kevin Mokulehua.
Firefighters contained the fire to the garage and extinguished it by 1:48 p.m.
No one was home at the time, Mokulehua said. A damage estimate was not immediately available.
Swimmer’s body recovered at falls
The body of a 20-year-old man who went missing Friday while swimming in the Wailuku River was recovered Saturday in a pond below Rainbow Falls in Hilo. The man had been missing since Friday afternoon when witnesses reported seeing him go underwater below the falls and never resurface. Firefighters resumed their search at dawn Saturday. At about 10 a.m., a dive team found the body, which was retrieved by helicopter.
Witnesses said the man, whose name has not been released, was swimming with three others and appeared to be fatigued while swimming in the pond before going under. Firefighters arrived at about 6 p.m. and searched until dark.
Man seriously wounded in stabbing
Police arrested a man Saturday in connection with a stabbing in downtown Honolulu.
The incident happened at about 11 a.m. near Hotel Street and Fort Street Mall, where paramedics treated a 53-year-old man for a stab wound to his neck. The victim was taken to a hospital in critical condition, an Emergency Medical Services report said.
Police said a suspect was arrested shortly afterward for investigation of attempted murder.
