In Brief | Big Island & State | 1-11-14

Police searching for man wanted on warrants

Hawaii Island police are searching for a 25-year-old man wanted on no-bail warrants and for questioning in connection with unrelated investigations.

Keahi Calvin Sale is 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing 155 pounds with brown eyes and black hair, according to the Hawaii County Police Department. He has no permanent address but is known to frequent the Hilo area.

Police consider Sale armed and dangerous and advise the public not to approach him.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts should call the department’s nonemergency line at 935-3311.

Those who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 329-8181 in Kona or 961-8300 in Hilo and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.

Police searching for man accused of abuse

Hawaii Island police are searching for a 21-year-old Kailua-Kona man wanted for the alleged abuse of a family/household member.

Moala Kuahuia Kaupu is 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighing 185 pounds with brown eyes and short curly black hair, according to police. His ears are pierced and he has a scripture tattoo on an inner forearm.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts should call the department’s nonemergency line at 935-3311.

Those who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 329-8181 in Kona or 961-8300 in Hilo and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.

PTA areas open to bird hunters this weekend

Army officials are opening several areas within the Pohakuloa Training Area for bird hunting today and Sunday, according to the U.S. Army Garrison, Hawaii.

Training areas 2, 10 and 11 will open for bird hunting from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. today and Sunday. The areas will be open to shotgun bird hunting only. The use of shotgun slugs is not permitted. Hunting is subject to state hunting rules and bag limits.

All bird hunters must check in and out at one of the following hunter’s check-in stations: Kilohana, located on Saddle Road between mile markers 43 and 44, or Puuanahulu, located on Mamalahoa Highway, near mile marker 15. Check-out is no later than 7:30 p.m. each day.

Access to training area 2 is through gates 1 through 5 and access to training areas 10 and 11 is through gates 1 though 6.

Hunting passes will be provided at the check-in stations starting at 5 p.m. Friday. These passes must be signed and placed on the vehicle’s dashboard. Hunters who do not have a signed hunting pass on their dashboard will be barred from hunting for 30 days.

State considers Haleakala land swap for trail

MAKAWAO, Maui — Hawaii state land officials are seeking approval to swap land with Haleakala Ranch Co. to give public access to a historic trail.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Friday that a nonprofit said the proposed move by the Department of Land and Natural Resources would be illegal without an environmental study.

State forestry and wildlife officials also want approval for an archaeological survey and environmental review, along with the plan itself.

The board says the proposal is being made to avoid a costly lawsuit and give access to Haleakala Bridle Trail. State officials said it would also create public routes to two reserves.

Attorney Tom Pierce of Public Access Trails Hawaii said the proposal is seeking a deal before an environmental review. Pierce said he wants a deferral.

Hawaii man sues Warner Bros. over ‘Matrix’ movies

WAILUKU, Maui — A Hawaii man has filed a $300 million copyright infringement lawsuit, claiming the “Matrix” trilogy of science fiction films bears striking similarities to his screenplay.

The Maui News reported playwright Thomas Althouse of Maui claims there are 166 similar instances in the movies to his 1992 screenplay, “The Immortals.”

Named in the lawsuit are Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., producer Joel Silver, directors and writers.

“There is no merit to this frivolous lawsuit,” Warner Bros. said in a statement.

The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in the Central District of California in January 2013. Trial is set for June 17. According to court records, it’s expected to last as long as eight days.

Japanese tourist drowns in Guam

HAGATNA, Guam — A Japanese tourist has drowned in Guam, the fourth water-related death there in the past week.

Pacific Daily News reported the 47-year-old man, who wasn’t identified, was pronounced dead Thursday after being pulled from waters near Ypao Beach.

A windsurfer pulled the man who had been snorkeling out of the water near the Pacific Islands Club buoy line. Ypao Beach lifeguard Michael Benito said he and other lifeguards attempted to save the man, who had a faint pulse when pulled from the water. He initiated rescue breathing to no avail.

Suspect arrested in homicide of Kauai man

LIHUE, Kauai — Authorities say a 41-year-old man traveling to the Philippines has been arrested on suspicion of killing an elderly man on Kauai.

Kauai police said Friday Giovani Corpuz was taken into custody earlier this week and is awaiting extradition in the homicide of 88-year-old Amby Cruz.

Firefighters responding to a medical call found Cruz unresponsive at his home on New Year’s Day. Police say an autopsy found he was shot once in the head.

Cruz was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Hiker dies after fall in windward Oahu

HONOLULU — Authorities said a hiker has died after falling about 50 feet on a hiking trail on the windward side of Oahu.

Officials said the hiker fell along the Olomana trail on Friday afternoon.

Authorities said the man was in his 20s.

Pool to be built on mauka, not makai side

A Kona Bay Estates resident is looking to construct a pool on the mauka side of a wall determined to be the shoreline. A page 1A article in Thursday’s edition of West Hawaii Today incorrectly stated the pool would be constructed on the makai side of the wall.

It is the policy of West Hawaii Today to correct promptly any incorrect or misleading information when it is brought to the attention of the newspaper.

By local and wire sources