Man arrested in custody violation

U.S. marshals in Hawaii have arrested an Arizona man for interfering with a child custody order.

According to a statement from the Marshals Service, Diamond Lee Williams Sr. was apprehended at the intersection of Kahekili Highway and Kahuhipa Street in Kaneohe at about 8:15 a.m. yesterday.

Authorities say Hawaii-based marshals were notified by counterparts in Arizona that Williams had fled to the islands with his 1-year-old son without the permission of the boy’s mother.

A court had previously awarded full custody to the mother.

Authorities say that when arrested at a bus stop, Williams was homeless and with his son.

The child was unharmed and is now in the protective custody of state officials.

Fire destroys $50K in Sears goods

Sears lost appliances, tools and other merchandise worth about $50,000 in a fire that consumed a shipping container at its distribution center in Pearl City.

Wednesday’s fire was confined mostly to the 40-foot container, said Capt. Terry Seelig of the Honolulu Fire Department.

The container was on the apron of the loading dock, and the noontime fire also caused about $5,000 in damage to the dock’s overhang, Seelig said.

Sprinklers helped contain the fire until firefighters arrived to put it out. Seelig said it is fortunate the warehouse did not catch fire, noting that it houses a substantial inventory of goods.

The fire was caused by sparks originating from welding work that ignited debris and dust within the container, Seelig said.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Suspect charged in Hilo fruit theft

A 56-year-old Hilo man has been charged with felony theft for stealing fruit from a farm in Hilo.

Hilo police arrested Gary Pavao on Monday at a Kaiwiki Road farm after he was caught with 14.7 pounds of longan allegedly taken without permission.

Hilo police responded to a call at 8:27 a.m. and found the farm’s owners holding Pavao on allegations of trespass.

Police said that Pavao was linked to two other thefts of fruit from the same farm.

Pavao was charged with three counts of second-degree theft.

He made his initial appearance in Hilo District Court Wednesday and remained in custody at the Hawaii County Correctional Center in lieu of $30,000 bail.

Longan is a tropical fruit related to the lychee.

Grounded boat remains stuck on sand

Crews were trying yesterday to remove a sailboat with a 26-foot fiberglass hull that ran aground at Kalapaki Beach on Kauai.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources said it was monitoring efforts of salvage crews to get the boat off the sand and rocks in front of the Kauai Marriott Hotel.

The vessel ran aground either Sunday evening or Monday morning amid high winds and rain.

The department said a caretaker removed all fuel and petroleum from the vessel to prevent the release of hazardous materials.