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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 30 april 2019

Official: 3 dead in helicopter crash in Honolulu suburb

By JENNIFER SINCO KELLE- neighbors were doing a a ball of fire in a road when
HER heroic job trying to put out he ran from his house.
Associated Press the fire and also trying to Leleo Knappenberger told
HONOLULU (AP) — Fire and get the patients away from Hawaii News Now that his
helicopter parts rained the burning aircraft," En- mother heard the helicop-
from the sky Monday in a right said. ter flying over the house,
suburban Honolulu com- The crash occurred in Kai- making a strange noise.
munity as a tour helicopter lua, a town of 50,000 peo- He said he later saw what
crashed and killed all three ple about a 30-minute drive appeared to be the tail
people aboard, officials from downtown Honolulu. end of the helicopter.
and witnesses said. The crash site was on a "It's all smashed to pieces,"
"All you could see was fire," two-lane road amid one he said.
witness Melissa Solomon and two-story homes. Federal Aviation Admin-
said, explaining that she Darel Robinson was do- istration spokesman Ian
was driving on the street ing construction work at Gregor said the agency
when she looked up to see a house about a half-mile believes three people were The wreckage of a helicopter lies on the street after crashing in
flames and a helicopter from the crash site when he on board the four-seat, Kailua, Hawaii, Monday, April 29, 2019.
plummeting in front of her. heard what sounded like Robinson R44 aircraft. Associated Press
She said she had turn onto helicopter blades thump- He said the circumstances
another street because ing and then a loud boom. of the crash were unknown. tified Nicole Vandelaar publican lawmaker wants
she was afraid more piec- "It was going nose down No further details were as founder and CEO. The Hawaii's congressional del-
es were going to fall from and parts were starting to available on those killed. website said she is an ex- egation to ask the FAA to
the sky onto her and her fly off," he said. The helicopter, which was pert pilot commercially li- implement such restrictions.
16-year-old daughter sitting Megan Lacy of Alabama built in 2000, is registered to censed to fly helicopters Thielen also called for tour
in the front passenger seat. was visiting friends when United Helicopter Leasing and airplanes. helicopter flights to be
"We could have been they heard the crash. They LLC of Honolulu, according A Novictor helicopter grounded until an inves-
smashed by it," she said. went outside, expecting to to FAA records. State busi- crashed on a sandbar in tigation into the crash is
Paramedics responding to find two cars after they had ness records show Nicole Kaneohe in October after completed.
an unrelated call from a hit each other. Vandelaar as the manag- the pilot lost consciousness Kailua is home to a Marine
patient with leg pain about "We were really confused," er. twice. That crash resulted in Corps base. In recent years
30 yards (27 meters) away she said. "And then we A woman who answered injuries to the pilot and two it's become a popular des-
heard "a horrific bang," said heard screaming and the phone at the business passengers. It was also a tination for tourists to go to
Shayne Enright, a spokes- the word 'fire,' and I saw and identified herself as Robinson R44 aircraft. the beach, hike and shop.
woman for Honolulu Emer- smoke," she said. Debris Nicole declined to immedi- State Rep. Cynthia Thiel- Former President Barack
gency Medical Services. damaged her rental car ately comment, saying she en, who represents Kailua, Obama stayed at a rented
When they turned around, about 100 yards (90 meters) was too busy to talk. said she wants the FAA to beachfront vacation home
they saw a helicopter on from the crash. A website for the Honolulu prohibit tour flights over in the town during the win-
fire. A resident said he heard tour helicopter company Hawaii's residential areas ter holidays when he was in
"When they got there, the morning crash then saw Novictor Helicopters iden- and national parks. The Re- the White House.q

Texas death row inmate's last words draw ire from lawmaker

By PAUL J. WEBER publicly reading the final history. lethal injection. But a state- wrote in a letter to prison
Associated Press statements of those who King, who was white, was ment prepared by King officials.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A are executed. executed for the 1998 was released following his A spokesman for the Texas
Texas lawmaker whose ire It comes after a Texas pris- dragging death of James execution. Department of Criminal
over a death row inmate's on spokesman last week Byrd Jr., a black man. King "If a death row inmate has Justice didn't respond to a
expansive final feast in 2011 read the last words of an said "no" when asked by a something to say to the request for comment Mon-
ended the practice of con- avowed racist, John Wil- warden inside the nation's public or victims, let him day.
demned prisoners choosing liam King, who orchestrat- busiest death chamber or her say it when they are Lawrence Russell Brewer
their last meal said Monday ed one of the most grue- whether he had any last strapped to the gurney," ordered an extensive final
the state should now stop some hate crimes in U.S. words before receiving a state Sen. John Whitmire meal in 2011. q