Dozens of children were evacuated from the Wai'anae Coast Daycare Center as a precaution yesterday afternoon after a teacher said she smelled a chemical odor and became ill, said Bryan Cheplic, city Emergency Services spokesman.

The preschoolers, 60 to 70 in all, were taken to a sister facility at the United Methodist Church down the road next to the Wai'anae fire station, Cheplic said.

None of the children was injured or exhibited any adverse effects, he said.

The fire department's hazardous-materials unit responded to the call about the odor. Capt. Frank Johnson, department spokesman, said the smell may have come from a leak in a nearby propane tank.

MAN GETS 30 DAYS FOR CRASH DEATHS

A 22-year-old man was sentenced to 30 days in jail yesterday for negligently driving a car in a crash that killed three passengers at the Wilson Tunnel in 2004.

Circuit Judge Derrick Chan sentenced Jonathan Fornua of Los Angeles to the jail term for three counts of second-degree negligent homicide.

Fornua was driving a rented Chevy Blazer with five passengers headed for a wedding rehearsal in Honolulu on April 16, 2004, when it went out of control and slammed into a wall at the tunnel entrance.

Joseph Naulu, 13, and Mary Irene Filimoehala, 19, both of Kane'ohe; and Winnie Naulu, 27, of New Zealand, were killed in the crash.

REPAIRS BRING CALL TO CONSERVE WATER

The Honolulu Board of Water Supply asked residents from Turtle Bay to Waialua to conserve water through today while crews repair a broken pump.

The pump at Waiale'e Wells II stopped working yesterday. It is one of two wells that provides drinking water to residents from Sunset Beach to Turtle Bay.

To meet water demand in the area, the agency rerouted water from a Waialua source, thus expanding the area affected by the conservation advisory.

SUSPECT DIES OF STROKE IN CUSTODY

A 56-year-old man suffered a fatal stroke Tuesday night at the Honolulu Police Department's main station cellblock, police said.

The Honolulu medical examiner's office last night would not release any information on the man. Police said an autopsy performed yesterday indicated he died of a medical condition.

No foul play is suspected.

The man was booked as Charles Darell Carter, according to police records. He was found unresponsive in the cellblock at 10:15 p.m. Tuesday.

Carter, who had no permanent local address, was arrested Tuesday at Jefferson Elementary School, 324 Kapahulu Ave., at 8:20 a.m. He was suspected of first-degree criminal trespass, a misdemeanor, and open lewdness, a petty misdemeanor.

He was charged with both offenses and was being held at HPD's Central Receiving cellblock pending a District Court appearance yesterday.

STATE AGENCY WILL OVERSEE REMAINS

Native Hawaiian remains discovered this week on private property in East Honolulu are more than 50 years old and thus fall under the jurisdiction of the state Historic Preservation Division, the state announced.

Police said a man hiking in the 'Aina Haina area found the remains in a cave about 11 a.m. Tuesday. There were no signs of foul play, police said.

Deborah Ward, public information specialist for the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, said Historic Preservation staff and an archaeologist "responded appropriately with action to preserve" the remains, but the agency would not release further details.