Man charged in Waikiki death

Prosecutors have charged an 18-year-old man in connection with Tuesday’s beating death of a 21-year-old man in Waikiki.

Lionel J. Winebush appeared before Judge Tracy Fukui at Honolulu District Court via videoconference from the courthouse cellblock Monday after prosecutors charged him Sunday with second-degree murder.

His bail is set at $500,000.

Honolulu police said the victim, identified in court documents as Tony Taki, was sitting at a bus stop when a group of males approached him at about 2:45 a.m. Tuesday.

A “physical altercation” occurred, police said, and Taki fled mauka on Seaside Avenue while being pursued by the suspects.

The suspects caught up to the victim and assaulted him with a “blunt-type object,” police added.

The victim became unresponsive and the suspects fled. Taki was taken to The Queen’s Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

Honolulu police officers with the District 6 Crime Reduction Unit arrested Winebush in the Punahou area at about 6 p.m. Friday on suspicion of second- degree murder.

Moped rider is isle’s 52nd traffic fatality

A moped rider injured in a collision on South Beretania Street the day after Thanksgiving has died from his injuries, Honolulu police said.

According to police, the 78-year-old man was riding a moped westbound on South Beretania Street at about 2:15 p.m. Nov. 25 when he collided with a car while attempting to change lanes. The car’s driver, a 31-year-old man, was not injured and remained at the scene.

As a result of the collision, the moped rider lost control and fell onto the roadway, and was taken to a hospital with injuries that police did not specify. Police said he died Sunday from his injuries.

Police said speed, drugs, and alcohol do not appear to be contributing factors in the collision but that the investigation is ongoing.

Police said it was Oahu’s 52nd traffic-related fatality this year, compared with 43 during the same time in 2021.