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Killed mo-ped rider ID’d as coach
A friend has identified the mo-ped driver who died following a collision with a car on Thursday as Healani Canoe Club coach Al Streck of Moiliili.
Streck, 45, was apparently traveling on South King Street near Isenberg Street when his mo-ped collided with a Honda Civic. Streck was taken to an area hospital in critical condition and was pronounced dead Saturday.
Close friend Michael Davidson, 40, of Kaimuki said he and Streck had come back from paddling shortly before the accident.
"We came back to Ala Wai, and we were just talking," Davidson said. "It was like, ‘Could life get any better?’ It was just a great moment."
Streck, widely known in the paddling community, coached Healani’s women’s novice A and B teams. He worked as an event coordinator, Davidson said.
"He touched everyone in the most amazing way," Davidson said. "He taught us how to love life."
Streck is survived by son Kaden, two brothers and a sister.
This is the 49th traffic fatality of the year in Honolulu, compared with 46 at the same time last year.
Stop leads to stolen-vehicle arrest
A police officer who stopped a mop-ed Saturday night in Kaneohe discovered that it had been stolen and arrested the 31-year-old rider, police said.
During the 8 p.m. traffic stop, the officer discovered that the mo-ped belonged to a 25-year-old man and arrested the rider for investigation of illegally operating the mo-ped.
Unintended release leaves suspect at large
A suspect in drug and burglary cases is on the run after officers released him two weeks ago in a prison snafu, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported yesterday.
Kaulike Rice, 29, has been at large since Oct. 13, when he was supposed to be arrested at Hawaii Community Correctional Center on a bench warrant, Police Chief Harry Kubojiri said.
Acting Lt. Reed Mahuna said Rice is dangerous and that the public should keep their distance and call police if he is seen. Police described Rice as 5 feet 9 inches tall with a medium build and brown hair. He has many tattoos.
Kubojiri said Rice left the Hilo jail as police arrived to take him into custody. The transfer had been arranged between county police and the state Department of Public Safety, Kubojiri said.
Rice was indicted Oct. 12 by a grand jury on drug and vehicle charges, as well as resisting arrest, second-degree theft, first-degree burglary and first- degree theft stemming from a September burglary in Holualoa.
A $160,000 bench warrant was issued for his arrest that day, according to Circuit Court records. He was being held in the jail in an unrelated case, Mahuna said.
Blaze in Hilo brings closing of intersections
A fire next to the Cronies restaurant building on Kamehameha Avenue in Hilo forced the closure of several nearby intersections yesterday, Hawaii County police said.
Just after 2:30 p.m., Big Island police urged drivers to avoid the intersections of Kamehameha and Waianuenue avenues; Keawe Street and Waianuenue; and Keawe and Kalakaua streets for "the next few hours."
