Another shark spotted at Maui beach park
Kanaha Beach Park near Maui’s Kahului Airport is expected to be open this morning after a shark was sighted Monday, said county spokesman Rod Antone.
Maui County ocean safety officers closed a 1-mile stretch of beach for a couple of hours Monday after seeing a shark chase and attack a turtle at about 3:30 p.m.
A crowd of 40 beachgoers saw the attack, and the shark was estimated to be about 10 to 12 feet long, Antone said.
The sea turtle, suffering lacerations to its right front fin, was transported to a state Department of Land and Natural Resources facility for treatment.
On Thursday an 8-foot shark bit the board of a stand-up paddler at Kanaha Beach.
Hearing set on dismissal of murder charge
Circuit Judge Karen Ahn has set Jan. 22 for a hearing on federal agent Christopher Deedy’s request asking for the dismissal of his murder charge in the shooting of a Kailua man at a McDonald’s restaurant in Waikiki last year.
Deedy, 28, a State Department special agent here to provide security for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, is accused of murdering Kollin Elderts, 23, in the early morning shooting on Nov. 5.
Defense attorney Brook Hart argues in his dismissal request that the charge must be dropped under the federal supremacy clause, which provides immunity from state prosecution for federal officers performing official duties.
Deedy’s defense is that he was acting to protect himself and others at the time of the shooting.
A surveillance video at the restaurant was filed by Hart and attached to the dismissal motion. Ahn earlier sealed the video, which remains confidential.
Deedy’s jury selection and trial is scheduled to start April 2.
Victim of crash in South Kona is identified
Hawaii island police have identified the man killed in a one-car crash Saturday in South Kona as Bryan T. Hanato, 55, of Kealakekua.
Hanato was driving a 2000 Mitsubishi two-door sedan north on Route 11 in South Kona at about 1:30 p.m. when the car ran off the right side of the road and overturned, police said Monday. He was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle.
Hanato was pronounced dead at Kona Community Hospital at 4:17 p.m. Saturday. An autopsy has been ordered.
Police said excessive speed was a factor.
Anyone with information about the crash can call officer Larry Flowers at 326-4646, ext. 229.
Pakalolo raids net hundreds of plants, 9 arrests
Hawaii County police arrested nine people and seized 871 marijuana plants and 106 pounds of dried marijuana in raids on six homes in Puna last week.
Gilbert Espiritu, 53, and Phyllis Morby, 56, were each charged with multiple counts of promotion of marijuana and other offenses. Police released the other seven suspects without charges, pending further investigation.
Police arrested the nine Thursday in searches of three adjacent properties on Tiki Lane in the Ainaloa subdivision. Officers recovered 321 marijuana plants, 98.8 pounds of dried marijuana, 2.5 grams of heroin, 125 grams of hashish and 232 hydrocodone pills in indoor-growing operations at two of the properties.
Police searched three other properties Friday and Saturday in Hawaiian Acres and Hawaiian Paradise Park, recovering 550 marijuana plants and 7.9 pounds of dried marijuana.
