On Friday, Honolulu police announced the arrests of four more people in connection with the deadly New Year’s fireworks explosion in Aliamanu, bringing the total of people arrested to 10.
This was the third round of arrests made in relation to the explosion that killed five people, including a 3-year-old boy, and injured about 20 others. The tragedy occurred when a lit bundle of about 50 aerial fireworks fell over, blasting into crates that contained unlit fireworks and causing them to go off too.
The four people arrested on Friday were parents who set off fireworks with their children, according to police.
Police arrested 32-year-old Rin Dao and 31-year-old Demi Mendoza on Friday for reckless endangering in the first degree, endangering the welfare of a minor in the first degree, and multiple fireworks offenses.
On New Year’s Eve, the couple attended the gathering in Aliamanu and ignited illegal fireworks with their children, ages 9 and 11, according to police. The children were not injured.
On Friday, police also arrested 29-year-old Michael Cabato for endangering the welfare of a minor in the first degree and multiple fireworks offenses, and 28-year-old Aidalys Pe Benito for endangering the welfare of a minor in the first degree.
The couple also attended the party together and shot off illegal fireworks with their 1-year-old child, who was not injured, according to police.
Arrest logs identified the individuals.
Police said more arrests are still expected.
Three other couples were previously arrested and have all been released as the investigation continues. The first couple, Ruben T. Mateo, 33, and Jewel Ann Quines Cabras, 33, were arrested on Jan. 24 for reckless endangering, endangering the welfare of a minor and multiple fireworks offenses. Police said they allowed their children — ages 15, 10 and 1 — to ignite illegal fireworks at the New Year’s Eve party. The 1-year-old was injured, treated at a hospital and released, police said.
The other two couples, who were arrested on Jan. 29, all live in the house where the party took place, according to police. Jessica Ferrer, 38, and Cedric Benigno, 35, attended the gathering at their home with their four minor children. All four children were injured in the explosion. The children were transported to a nearby hospital where they were treated for their injuries and later released, according to police. Daniel Combis, 32, and Sherri Ho, 29, also attended the gathering at their home with their two minor children, who were not injured in the fireworks explosion.
Police said at a news conference last week that they are working with prosecutors to bring charges, but it is taking time because some witnesses have been uncooperative and there is a large amount of evidence being examined. Investigators confiscated 500 pounds of unused illegal fireworks from the scene of the blast, which does not include the fireworks that went off on the night of the explosion.
Michelle Broder Van Dyke covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii. Email her at michelle.brodervandyke@charter.com.
