Police release suspect sketch
Hawaii Island police are asking for the public’s help in identifying a man wanted for assault in connection with a road rage stabbing incident in Puna.
At 3:29 p.m., Nov. 22, a 25-year-old Pahoa man told police he was stabbed in the chest by the driver of a light-colored sedan following an argument on Moho Road, (Road 8), in the Hawaiian Acres Subdivision.
The victim was driven by private vehicle to the Pahoa Fire Station, then taken by ambulance to the Hilo Medical Center where he was treated and released. Police recovered the knife suspected to have been used.
Police are releasing a composite drawing of the suspect who is described as a Caucasian man in his 40s, about 6-feet tall, weighing 170 pounds with shoulder-length blond hair. He was last seen wearing a gray or white T-shirt, blue denim shorts, and black slippers.
The suspect’s vehicle is described as a light colored Nissan Versa that was last seen driving in the Pahoa direction on Moho Road.
Anyone who recognizes the suspect or who may have any other information about this incident it is asked to call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311 or Detective Tuck Loy Aurello of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at 961-2385 or Tuckloy.Aurello@hawaiicounty.gov.
Report: Hawaii tax officials altered monitoring reports
HONOLULU — Hawaii tax officials instructed a consulting group on what to include and change in its monitoring reports on a state Department of Taxation modernization project before the reports were made public, the group says.
The state hired consultant AdvanTech LLC last year to independently oversee the $60-million project to upgrade the department’s computer systems and provide reports to lawmakers and the public, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Friday.
The group was hired to help ensure the Tax System Modernization project would progress as planned and function as promised.
AdvanTech’s previous six reports offered generally positive assessments of the project, but that changed in the October report. The latest AdvanTech report warned that the project was not operating as it should, saying there were several issues and risks that could hinder the project’s ability to function properly if not addressed.
The report also raised questions on the project’s management, alleging personality conflicts were undermining its direction.
Rep. Sylvia Luke, chairwoman of the House Committee on Finance, said the report shows the department officials’ manipulation. That, she said, brings into question the findings of the group’s past reports.
“It completely undermines the credibility of the report and what they have said in the past,” Luke said.
Director of Taxation Maria Zielinski said in a statement that her office could not comment on the contents of the report because it had only recently received it. She said the department is committed to making sure the project is successful.
23 arrested for DUI
During the week of Nov. 27 through Dec. 3, Hawaii Island police arrested 23 motorists for driving under the influence of an intoxicant. Eight of the drivers were involved in a traffic accident.
So far this year, there have been 1,070 DUI arrests compared with 1,014 during the same period last year, an increase of 5.5 percent.
There have been 1,243 major accidents so far this year compared with 1,316 during the same period last year, a decrease of 5.5 percent.
To date, there were 29 fatal crashes (one of which had multiple deaths), resulting in 31 fatalities, compared with 25 fatal crashes (five of which had multiple deaths), resulting in 30 fatalities for the same time last year. This represents an increase 16 percent for fatal crashes, and 3.3 percent for fatalities.
DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue islandwide.
From wire sources