A Sasebo Naval Base sailor was in Japanese police custody Monday after being accused of a hit-and-run over the weekend, according to local police and a Navy spokesman.
Petty Officer 1st Class Keavon Rashad Pinder, 28, was arrested Saturday after he allegedly rear-ended a motorcycle and another car in Sasebo’s Tenjin-cho area around 4:20 p.m., a Sasebo police spokesman said. After the collisions, Pinder fled the scene, the spokesman said.
On Monday, police referred the case to the prosecutors’ office with the recommendation of hit-and-run and vehicular injuries by negligence charges.
The motorcyclist sustained bruises on his left leg and the other driver sustained no injuries, the spokesman said.
The spokesman said they detected alcohol in Pinder’s breath. The police are also investigating the possibility of drunk driving charges.
Navy spokesman Lt. Denver Applehans confirmed Monday the sailor is assigned to the USS Denver.
Prosecutors weigh charges in ammo dump case
Sasebo prosecutors are looking into whether they will file charges against two U.S. sailors who are suspected of illegally dumping more than 3,000 rounds of ammunition in October in waters near Maebata ordnance facility, according to police and Navy spokesman.
Moving the investigation from the police to the prosecutor’s office is procedural and the Navy has jurisdiction in the case, said Sasebo Naval spokesman Charles Howard.
The two sailors — a first class petty officer and second class petty officer with the base’s security forces — face Navy punishment in the incident, Howard has said.
The second class petty officer is accused of dumping the ammunition, which included 3,000 shotgun rounds and 335 rounds of 5.56 mm ammunition. He faces an administrative hearing. The higher-ranking sailor, whose job includes overseeing ammunition, faces a dereliction of duty charge in a special court-martial.
Howard said that the court-martial has not been scheduled.
Navy officials standardizing Web sitesTOKYO — U.S. Navy officials in Japan are standardizing their unclassified command Web sites in an effort to protect them from cyber-attack.
By Jan. 15, all Commander, Naval Forces Japan bases will mirror the more "corporate" Web design used by Commander, Navy Installation Command.
The change will help protect command Web sites that are open to the public, according to a Navy administration message.
CNFJ includes Yokosuka Naval Base, Sasebo Naval Base, Fleet Activities Okinawa, Naval Air Facility Misawa; Naval Air Facility Atsugi; and Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia.