‘Move over’ law nets 57 driver citations
Police cited 57 motorists for "move over" traffic violations from August through November, the first four months the new law was in effect, the department said Tuesday.
Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed the law in July, but police did not begin enforcement until August to allow drivers time to learn about it. The law requires drivers to put a lane between their vehicles and a standing emergency vehicle when it is possible and safe to do so, or to "slow down to a reasonable and prudent speed that is safe under the circumstances of an emergency road situation ahead."
Emergency vehicles include police cars, firetrucks, ambulances and tow trucks.
Traffic Division Maj. Kurt Kendro said statistics for December have not yet been compiled.
Monday marked one year since the crash that killed police officer Garret Davis, who was struck when he stopped on the H-1 freeway to help a motorist whose vehicle had stalled. It was the second death of an officer on Oahu roads in six months. Officer Eric Fontes died in September 2011 after a vehicle struck him and other officers at a traffic stop on Farrington Highway near Ko Olina.
Search for man swept into sea is suspended
The Kauai Fire Department suspended a search Tuesday for a 47-year-old visitor who was swept into the ocean at Kalihiwai Bay last week.
Brian Baker of San Francisco was hiking with Adam Griffiths, 46, and three other friends Friday in a remote, rocky area just south of the bay when he was swept into the ocean by high surf. Griffiths, also of San Francisco, dived into the water to try to rescue him but was overcome by rough seas. Griffiths’ body was recovered Saturday morning.
Lodgers busted and charged in drug case
Hawaii County police have charged a man and a woman with drug offenses after they were arrested in a motel room that allegedly contained drugs, drug paraphernalia and $8,900 in cash.
Robert Reed, 20, and Jessie Bitton, 22, are each being held in lieu of $313,000 bail.
Police responded Thursday to a call of a disturbance in a motel room on Lindsey Road in Waimea. Officers found Bitton and Reed, who was unresponsive, in the room. Reed was treated at North Hawaii Community Hospital and released.
During the execution of a search warrant, officers found 166.5 grams of cocaine, seven ounces of marijuana, drug paraphernalia and $8,900 in cash from the motel room. Officers also found a cocaine residue and 12.1 grams of marijuana in Reed’s vehicle.
Reed and Bitton were each charged Friday with 10 counts of promoting a dangerous drug, six counts of promoting a detrimental drug, seven counts of possessing drug paraphernalia and one count of promoting a controlled substance near a school.
