Alleged thief gets sunrise beating

Police are looking for four men who apparently took matters into their own hands and severely beat a suspected car thief early yesterday morning.

A Waianae man in his early 20s was in critical condition at the Queen's Medical Center after the beating.

Police responded to a call about an argument in the parking lot of the Waimaha Sunflower housing project on McArthur Street in Waianae at 6:40 a.m.

Officers found the victim was with severe head injuries. He was assaulted and struck on the head by the butt of a rifle, said a witness who ask to not be identified.

The witness said the attackers also fired several gunshots in the air after an argument about a car that the victim allegedly stole.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

2 tourists drown in Big Island surf

High surf apparently contributed to the drowning of two tourists yesterday in separate incidents on the Big Island.

At about 9:10 a.m., firefighters responded to a call for help at Kahaluu Beach Park south of Kailua-Kona.

Firefighters found a 62-year-old Milwaukie, Ore., visitor receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation from three lifeguards. The man, who was not identified, was taken to the Kona Community Hospital, where he died.

“;Above normal surf heights”; might have contributed to his death, a Hawaii County news release said. Rough surf also was cited in the drowning of a 40-year-old man at Punaluu Beach Park shortly before noon.

Fire department officials said the man was swept out to sea while snorkeling with his 43-year-old wife.

The couple tried to make it back in rough surf, but only his wife returned to shore, a fire department news release said.

Firefighters said a local bodysurfer reported seeing the man about 100 yards off shore in rough surf and tried to help before losing sight of him.

Searchers located the man about 30 yards off the south shore, and bystanders helped bring him in. The man was taken to Kau Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 12:58 p.m.

The man's identity and hometown were not released.

HONOLULU

UH arena is site of alleged attack

University of Hawaii Campus Security issued an alert yesterday after a report of a sexual assault in the Stan Sheriff Center.

School officials e-mailed a security alert to students, faculty and staff yesterday after learning about the assault, said UH-Manoa spokesman Gregg Takayama.

A 13-year-old girl reported the Oct. 8 attack to police on Friday. Takayama said the girl met the attacker at a party downtown and the man took the girl to the Stan Sheriff Center and allegedly assaulted her in a room.

Takayama said the center was closed at the time.

“;He apparently had access to it,”; he said. “;Apparently he had a key of some kind.”;

Takayama described the man as about 5 feet 4 inches tall, about 200 pounds, and wearing wire-rim glasses. He drove a dark blue Nissan Pathfinder that might have had Oakland Raiders stickers on it.

Bicyclist in hospital after clipping a car

A 26-year old bicyclist was taken to the Queen's Medical Center in critical condition yesterday after an accident on South King Street, just Ewa of University Avenue.

Police said the man was riding a Trek bicycle between lanes of cars on South King Street at about 11 a.m. when he hit the left mirror of a Ford Focus sedan stopped at a light.

The man lost control of the bike and hit a city bus and another vehicle. Police did not say whether the man was wearing a helmet.

LEEWARD OAHU

Motorcyclist hurt speeding into curb

Police say speed was a factor in a motorcycle crash Friday night in Kapolei that left a man in critical condition.

The driver of a Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle was ejected off his motorcycle after hitting a curb at about 6:37 p.m. Friday on Farrington Highway, near Kealanani Avenue in Kapolei.

The man, who wasn't carrying identification, was traveling east on the highway at an apparent high rate of speed, police said.

He was wearing a helmet, police said. It wasn't known whether alcohol was a factor.

House in flames sparks blaze probe

A vacant house in Makaha was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived last night at about 8:30, said Honolulu fire Capt. Terry Seelig.

Firefighters brought the blaze on Farrington Highway near Water Street under control in 15 minutes.

No one was injured, and fire investigators were still determining the cause and a damage estimate last night.