Man saved, then nabbed for tickets

A woman helped in the rescue of her husband and his fishing vessel yesterday in waters off Oahu.

But she could not stop Honolulu police from arresting him once he was ashore for outstanding traffic tickets.

The woman used a cell phone to call the Coast Guard at 8:30 a.m. to say the fishing vessel Iwalani was taking on water, disabled and adrift in waters south of Oahu with two fishermen aboard.

The Coast Guard, aboard a 45-foot boat, arrived at 9 a.m. to help the Iwalani and towed the vessel five miles to a public dock at Keehi marina.

The Coast Guard said once ashore, Honolulu police arrested the woman’s husband for alleged outstanding traffic warrants. Coast Guard spokesman Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael De Nyse said as a matter of procedure, the Coast Guard works closely with Honolulu police and conducts background checks on mariners during rescues.

Coast Guard officials said a cell phone should not be the only means of communication aboard a vessel, and they recommend boaters have a VHF radio and emergency position-indicating radio beacon.

Maui man injured on carnival ride

A 22-year-old Lahaina man was in Maui Memorial Hospital after he was thrown from a miniature roller coaster ride Saturday night at the Maui County Fair.

The man was hospitalized after being ejected from the Music Express ride at 11:47 p.m. at Wailuku’s War Memorial Complex.

Maui police say it appears the man struck a metal post and landed on a metal walkway.

He was admitted with possible lower back injuries.

Ex-boyfriend charged in kidnapping

A 37-year-old man accused of holding his ex-girlfriend against her will for 40 hours, raping and assaulting her appeared in Honolulu District Court yesterday to face kidnapping, rape and other charges in connection with the incident.

Derek Worsham was being held on $300,580 bail after prosecutors filed formal charges over the weekend.

Police said the ordeal for the victim began at 4 p.m. Sept. 26 when Worsham went to his 37-year-old ex-girlfriend’s Ewa Beach home. Police said Worsham argued with her, held her against her will, sexually assaulted her and prevented her from leaving or calling police until he left at 8 a.m. last Tuesday.

Police issued a CrimeStoppers alert, asking for the public’s help in catching Worsham, but canceled it after his arrest Thursday afternoon in Waianae.

NEIGHBOR ISLAND

Kauai fire burns cabin and forest

Fire destroyed a two-story cabin in Kokee, Kauai, and roughly a quarter-acre of abutting state forest Sunday night.

The cabin was near Mile Marker 13 on a dirt road in an area known as Puu Ka Pele. No one was in the cabin when the fire broke out.

Damage to the cabin and its contents is estimated to be $250,000.

A cabin about 200 feet away was not affected because of calm weather and the precautions of the owner, who watered down his home and the surrounding ground.

Firefighters were able to drive only smaller trucks to the scene due to the narrow road. The engines had to park at a nearby pavilion parking lot and were used to shuttle water from hydrants about a mile away at Kokee State Park.

Initially the fire was reported under control about 10 p.m., but firefighters were recalled to put out hot spots in the forest. The fire was reported extinguished about midnight.

The cause is under investigation.

Opihi picker swept to sea is identified

Police identified the opihi picker who died after being struck by a wave in northern Molokai as Ruben Villa, 43, of Maui.

Villa was visiting his parents and children when he went opihi picking Saturday with a cousin at Anahaki, east of Moomomi, Maui County police Sgt. Timothy Meyer said.

Villa and his cousin were swept into the ocean after being struck by the wave.

It took about 15 minutes for Villa’s cousin to get out of the rough water, Meyer said, but Villa was swept away.