NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Boy dies in crash on the Big Island

A 12-year-old boy died on the Big Island on Tuesday after a car overturned in Kau.

Shortly before 2:14 p.m., a 17-year-old Naalehu boy was driving a two-door sedan north on Kamaoa Road when he lost control of the vehicle, which struck a utility pole and overturned, police said.

Blaycen Jara of Naalehu was a passenger in the car and was taken to Kona Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 7:52 p.m.

Another passenger, an 18-year-old Naalehu man, was flown to the Hilo Medical Center in serious condition.

The driver was at the Kona Community Hospital in guarded condition. Police determined speed was a contributing factor in the crash. All three occupants were not wearing seat belts, police said.

Jara is the 24th traffic fatality on the Big Island this year, compared with 35 at this time last year.

Blaze damages home in Puna

Fire heavily damaged a vacant two-bedroom home in the Hawaiian Paradise Park subdivision in Puna on Tuesday night.

Firefighters were called to 16-0964 40th Ave. at 7:54 p.m. When they got to the house, it was fully engulfed in f lames, according to a Hawaii County Fire Department news release.

Damage was estimated at $89,000. The cause is under investigation.

Kauai elementary school suffers fire

Fire damaged a portable classroom at Wilcox Elementary School on Kauai on Tuesday night, according to a news release from Kauai County.

Firefighters responded to the fire at 9:25 p.m. and put it out within 10 minutes, the release said. Damage was estimated at between $20,000 and $30,000. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

CENTRAL OAHU

Woman is arrested in Wahiawa attack

Police arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly fractured another woman's hand in Wahiawa.

Police said that at about 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, the suspect went to another 18-year-old woman's Wahiawa home to confront her about something being posted on the social networking Web site MySpace.

Police said the suspect admitted to starting a fistfight. The victim's hand was fractured during the fight, police said. The suspect was found at 1:10 a.m. yesterday at her boyfriend's home on California Avenue and arrested on suspicion of third-degree assault.

HONOLULU

Police seek man in sex assault case

Police are searching for a man in his 40s who allegedly sexually assaulted a 20-year-old woman in Kapahulu on Tuesday night.

The woman said she befriended the man in Waikiki.

The incident occurred at 10:15 p.m. Tuesday in Kapahulu. No arrests have been made.

HFD says school fire was arson

Honolulu Fire Department investigators have ruled the Central Union Church Preschool fire was intentionally set, HFD officials announced yesterday.

Damage is estimated at $1 million.

The fire started at about 4:10 a.m. Oct. 22 and heavily damaged the preschool building and destroyed several classrooms, a teacher's lounge, a storage room and an office.

No one was injured in the fire.

Fire investigators are continuing to work with police arson investigators.