A 39-year-old certified nurse aide was convicted yesterday of abusing patients at the Palolo Chinese Home.

Maria Cobar was found guilty by a jury of four misdemeanor counts of abusing patients from Dec. 1 to Dec. 21, 2004, according to the attorney general's office.

According to state lawyers, Cobar's abuse of the patients included injuring the thumb of an incapacitated 82-year-old man, throwing him from his wheelchair to his bed and "standing idly by" while the patient hit his head against a shower wall. Cobar also left an 86-year-old incontinent woman soiled for the next shift to handle, the lawyers said.

Cobar was fired when fellow staff members reported the abuse, the attorney general's office said.

Cobar is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 6. Each of the four misdemeanor counts carries up to a year in jail.

PUNCHBOWL

MAN CHARGED IN INFANT'S INJURIES

A Punchbowl man has been charged in a rock-throwing incident early Tuesday that injured a 3-month-old boy.

Recko Roke, 26, was charged yesterday with three counts of first-degree criminal property damage and was being held in lieu of $75,000 bail. Police said Roke was intoxicated when came home about 3 a.m. Tuesday and found he had been locked out of his Kauila Street residence.

He allegedly threw rocks at the bedroom window, breaking glass louvers and causing injury to the infant, who was asleep near the window.

PEARLRIDGE

ONLOOKERS RESCUE KIDNAP VICTIM

Bystanders rescued a 24-year-old woman Tuesday in Pearl ridge who had been kidnapped by her former boyfriend.

The man, 23, of a Moanalua Loop address, violated a temporary restraining order. The woman told police she was walking near her home at 4:15 p.m. Tuesday when the man allegedly forced her into his car and tried to drive away.

Rescuers blocked his car and tried unsuccessfully to open the car doors. When the woman reached over and turned off the car's ignition, the man allegedly slashed her on the back and wrist with a knife, police said.

He tried to drive off again but ran over a tree trunk that serves as a road barrier, giving the rescuers time to pull the woman out of the car through the open passenger window.

The man ran away with the woman's purse, but police found him several blocks away hiding under a parked car on Hekaha Street.

WATER-PIPE BREAK CLOGS KINA'U ST.

Board of Water Supply crews last night were working to repair a ruptured 6-inch water main on Kina'u Street that was fractured by construction work nearby. The far left lane of Kina'u Street between Pensacola and Pi'ikoi Streets was closed.

The break cut off the water supply to 11 buildings, mostly apartments.

HI 5¢ DRIVE HELPS STUDENT PAPER

A group of Kailua High students will hold a HI 5¢ recycling drive Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the parking lot of Waimanalo Public Library.

Money raised will help publish the Surfrider, the Kailua High student newspaper. The class will accept donations of redeemable cans, plastic bottles and glass bottles. For more information, call 261-1361.

GUARD STABLE AFTER BEING HIT BY CAR

A security guard directing traffic on Kapi'olani Boulevard fronting 24-Hour Fitness was struck by a car last night and was taken to The Queen's Medical Center in serious but stable condition, said Bryan Cheplic, Department of Emergency Services spokesman. The incident was reported to police at 8:35 p.m.

RESTAURANT GROUP ENDORSES LINGLE

The Hawai'i Restaurant Association yesterday endorsed Gov. Linda Lingle and Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona for re-election.

The association cited the Lingle administration's support for workers compensation reform and increasing the tip credit.