POLICE BEAT
Extreme heat killed girl in car
Advertiser Staff
A 3-year-old girl left alone in a car for more than 1 1/2 hours Saturday died from hyperthermia, according to autopsy findings released yesterday.
The Honolulu medical examiner's office listed the cause of Sera Okutani's death as "hyperthermia due to environmental exposure/excessive heat" and manner as an accident.
The girl's father left her in a parked car at about 2 p.m. at a Pi'ikoi Street apartment building where he went to repair a computer, police said.
MAN GETS 16 YEARS IN DRUG TRAFFICKING
A man who used drug proceeds to purchase Spinners Bar in Waikiki was sentenced yesterday to nearly 16 years in prison and five years of supervised release.
David Espinal was convicted of trafficking crystal methamphetamine and money laundering. Co-conspirators Robert Cruz, Maria Zepada and George Callender, a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago, have been sentenced and Maria Barnes will be sentenced July 23 by U.S. District Judge David Ezra.
ABUSED CHILD BITTEN, BURNED
A 20-year-old man charged Sunday with second-degree assault in the abuse of his girlfriend's 3-year-old daughter allegedly struck the child numerous times, grabbed and squeez-ed her arms, bit her arm and burned her buttocks with a night light, according to a police report filed in District Court.
Shawn Bangloy is being held in lieu of $40,000 bail. His preliminary hearing was scheduled for tomorrow in District Court.
FELON HELD IN CAR THEFT, GUN CASE
A 28-year-old convicted felon was arrested Sunday in connection with a stolen rental car and handgun-related offenses.
At 11:56 p.m. Sunday a patrol officer responding to a report of a stolen car spotted the man driving into a parking lot in a car matching the description of the stolen vehicle. When the man got out of the car and walked away, the officer left his patrol car and followed, police said.
The man then started to run away and the officer chased him. During the chase the man turned to face the officer and began to reach for his waistband, police said.
The officer pulled out his Taser and stunned the man, who fell to the ground after being shocked.
As the officer handcuffed the man, he found a handgun on the ground. A search of the stolen car produced several unspent rounds of ammunition.
The man was arrested on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm, car theft, and illegal storage of a firearm, police said.
