Schofield soldier found dead in Afghanistan
A 21-year-old Schofield Barracks soldier was found dead Saturday in southern Afghanistan, the Army reported Monday.
Spc. Alex Hernandez III of Round Rock, Texas, was a door gunner with the 3rd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, officials said. He was found unresponsive in his room Saturday in Kandahar province, and the incident is under investigation, the Army said.
Hernandez joined the Army on July 8, 2009, as a test equipment operator. He became part of the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade in October 2010. Hernandez is survived by wife Tyasia Pompy.
About 2,600 Hawaii soldiers with the aviation brigade deployed to southern Afghanistan in January.
Nominees named to fill 2 seats on courts
The state Judicial Selection Commission has forwarded to Gov. Neil Abercrombie the lists of nominees to fill an impending vacancy on the Hawaii Supreme Court and a vacancy on the Circuit Court bench on Maui.
The nominees for associate justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court are Oahu Circuit Chief Judge Derrick H.M. Chan; Intermediate Court of Appeals Associate Judge Daniel Foley; David Foreman, interim director of the Environmental Law Program at the William S. Richardson School of Law; Intermediate Court of Appeals Chief Judge Craig Nakamura; and Oahu Circuit Judge Richard Pollack.
They are candidates to fill the seat on the high court that will be vacated by the impending mandatory retirement of Associate Justice James Duffy.
The nominees for Maui circuit judge are Peter Cahill, Michelle Drewyer, Kelsey Kawano, Lloyd Poelman and Douglas Sameshima. They are vying to fill the vacancy caused by the mandatory retirement last month of Chief Judge Shackley Raffetto.
Suspect held in shooting of Hilo woman
Hawaii County police arrested a 72-year-old Hawaiian Beaches man Sunday afternoon in connection with the shooting of a 55-year-old woman in Panaewa.
Officers responded to a 5:27 p.m. call that several shots were fired from a home in Panaewa. Officers found a 55-year-old Hilo woman with gunshot wounds. They determined that the assailant also shot at another person in the home, police said.
Police arrested the Hawaiian Beaches man on suspicion of attempted murder. He remained in custody Monday pending charges, Detective Wendall Carter said.
The victim was taken to Hilo Medical Center in stable condition. She was transferred to a Honolulu hospital and was in serious condition, Carter said Monday.
Police ask anyone with any information about this incident to call Carter at 961-2378.
Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call CrimeStoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona, and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.
Man charged with assault in Puna knifing
Hawaii County police have charged a 27-year-old Hawaiian Beaches man in connection with a stabbing and a domestic argument in Puna on Friday.
Brannon Ramirez turned himself in at the Pahoa police station at 5:42 p.m. Saturday, police said in a news release.
On Monday, detectives charged him with first-degree assault, first-degree criminal property damage and two counts of third-degree assault. His bail was set at $11,000.
He was being held at the Hilo police cellblock pending his initial court appearance today.
