5-hour crackdown nets police 500 traffic-related citations

About 500 traffic-related citations were issued to motorists during a five-hour period Tuesday on the Leeward Coast by solo bike officers.

Police said it was a concerted effort to crack down on traffic violations in the area. As a result, 81 citations were issued for speeding, two for excessive speeding, 60 for no-fault insurance, 46 for driving without a license, 21 for seat belt violations, 12 for child restraint violations, nine for electronic mobile device violations and 269 for miscellaneous violations.

The effort ran from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. along major roads in the region, including between Ko Olina and Makaha, police said.

Teen arrested in felling of tree on campus at Kahuku school

A teenager was arrested after an old tree was chopped down Tuesday at Kahuku High and Intermediate School, police said.

The suspect, 17, was being questioned in the criminal property damage investigation. He was arrested Tuesday.

The tree, a member of the banyan family, was planted more than 40 years ago, a school official said.

Language hitch delays rescue of hiker from trail in Kuliouou

A rescue specialist rappelled from the fire department helicopter Tuesday morning to retrieve a hiker who lost his way up Kuliouou Ridge.

Firefighters had a difficult time finding the man because he carried a cellphone that could only call 911 and not receive calls. Because the hiker’s first language is Chinese, they could not understand descriptions of his location, said Capt. Terry Seelig, HFD spokesman.

The hiker first called for help at 10:25 a.m. and was flown to a safety zone about 11:50 a.m., Seelig said. The man appeared to be in his 20s.