Feeble Flossie never made landfall
National Weather Service officials in Hawaii say preliminary data show the center of Tropical Storm Flossie never hit land when it passed through the state this week.
The service said Thursday that Flossie’s center came closest to Kauai early Tuesday.
Weather officials say rain fell hardest on Maui, which averaged 1 to 2 inches of rain. Flooding was generally minor. The strongest sustained winds were also seen on Maui at 33 mph in Kahului. Sustained winds hit 31 mph in Kona on the Big Island.
Flossie was weakening as it hit Hawaii and was downgraded from a storm to a tropical depression while here. It caused power failures on Maui and some minor building damage from lightning strikes, but no reported deaths or major injuries.
Search for missing fisherman halted
The Coast Guardhas suspended the search for a 40-year-old man who fell from a fishing vessel Sunday nearChristmas Island.
The missing man was the master of the 163-foot South Korean-flagged fishing vessel Panalox. Panalox and its sister vessel, Shin Yung, began searching after discovering Sunday that the man was missing. The search was suspended Wednesday.
Two other fishing vessels assisted with the search.
Carjack suspect also accused of assault
Hawaii County police have charged Jeremy Rios in connection with a carjacking that triggered an all-day manhunt Tuesday.
Rios, 31, was charged Wednesday with second-degree robbery, unauthorized control of a
propelled vehicle, resisting an order to stop, reckless driving, driving with a suspended license, unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle, two counts of fourth-degree theft and two counts of leaving the scene of an accident.
He was also charged with second-degree assault and second-degree terroristic threatening in an incident that occurred shortly before the carjacking. In that case a 55-year-old Hilo man suffered injuries to his face during an assault in the Wainaku area of Hilo.
Bail for Rios was set at $61,500. He was held at Hawaii Community Correctional Center for an unrelated contempt of court warrant.
Girl who was struck by truck is identified
The 2-year-old girl who died after being hit by a truck Sunday night at a residence in Kekaha, Kauai, has been identified at Melina Walker.
Authorities on Thursday said the toddler was struck in the driveway of her home, although they had reported previously the child was in the garage at the residence.
The vehicle that struck Walker at about 7:15 p.m. was a Nissan pickup truck.
