HAWAI'I BRIEFS
Motorcycle crash puts 2 in hospital
Advertiser Staff
A 52-year-old worker with the state Department of Transportation was critically injured yesterday when a motorcycle ran into him on the H-1 Freeway near Mo'ili'ili, police said.
The motorcycle was traveling in the eastbound lanes when it swerved into the left lane to avoid a vehicle changing lanes, police said. The motorcycle slid into the median barrier and into the path of a DOT pickup truck in the left lane with its arrow flasher on, police said.
The motorcycle hit the highway worker, who was picking up trash from the roadway, one-tenth of a mile west of the University Avenue off-ramp. The man was pinned between the motorcycle and an open door of the state truck, police said.
The 25-year-old motorcyclist was taken to The Queen's Medical Center in serious condition, and the 52-year-old man was taken to Queen's in critical condition.
HONOLULU
MAN ADMITS GUILT IN SEXUAL ASSAULT
A 57-year-old man pleaded guilty yesterday to sexually assaulting an 8-year-old girl at Beretania Community Park this year.
Paul W. Lincoln admitted that he touched the girl's buttock on May 3, in pleading guilty to third-degree sex assault.
The charge carries a prison term of up to five years.
Lincoln has a criminal history that includes 47 arrests and 30 convictions, eight for felonies including robbery, theft, burglary and escape, according to the prosecutor's office.
Circuit Judge Dexter Del Rosario scheduled Lincoln's sentencing for Jan. 24.
ELECTION 2006
THIELEN GAINS 2 ENDORSEMENTS
Two environmental groups have endorsed Windward state Rep. Cynthia Thielen, a Republican challenging U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka for Senate.
The Hawai'i Coalition of Conservation Voters recognized Thielen for her work to protect the state's natural heritage and for her opposition to oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. Akaka, a Democrat, has voted to open the refuge to drilling based on a promise he made to the Inupiat who live on the land.
"Representative Thielen's unambiguous stance against drilling in ANWR makes our choice clear," Chuck Burrows of 'Ahahui Malama I Ka Lokahi said in a statement.
Republicans for Environmental Protection, a national conservation group, also favors Thielen. "By electing Republican lawmakers who understand that environmental protection is essential to our well-being and a moral obligation to future generations, voters can depolarize the critical issues facing our nation and the world," Martha Marks, the group's president, said in a statement.
CASE CAMPAIGN RAISED NEARLY $1M
U.S. Rep. Ed Case raised $169,647 in September and nearly $1 million overall for his unsuccessful Democratic primary campaign against U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka.
Case's quarterly campaign finance report shows the congressman raised $988,329 for his campaign, including $185,000 transferred from a House account that was raised before he decided to run for Senate.
Akaka has raised more than $2.7 million for his re-election.
O'AHU
PROBLEMS ROUTING 911 CALLS TO POLICE
O'ahu's 911 system operators last night experienced some problems routing calls to Honolulu police, according to Hawaiian Telcom.
The problem was corrected after a couple of hours by 9:40 p.m., said Ann Nishida of Hawaiian Telcom. Routing of calls to the Honolulu Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services was not affected, Nishida said.
Officials were not aware of any missed calls for service, Nishida said. The cause was under investigation.
KALIHI
MOM ALLEGEDLY HIT SON WITH IRON
A Kalihi woman was arrested yesterday for allegedly hitting her 13-year-old son with an iron during an argument at their Linapuni Street home.
Police booked the woman, 35, for investigation of second-degree assault. The incident was reported to police at 3:30 p.m.
MAUI
TEMPORARY FIX ON WAY FOR BRIDGE
In a month or so East Maui residents are expected to have a temporary bridge next to the earthquake-damaged Paihi Bridge on the Hana Highway, U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye said yesterday.
Federal funding will cover 80 percent of the estimated $600,000 cost, he said.
It will take about 18 days to ship the bridge components to Maui, and about two days to assemble it once the parts are brought to the site, he said.
