LEEWARD OAHU

Motorcyclist hurt in highway mishap

Honolulu police closed all but one lane of Farrington Highway at about 3:24 p.m. yesterday as they investigated an accident involving a motorcycle and a pickup truck.

Police said a pickup truck heading east on Farrington cut in front of a motorcycle turning into the Chevron gas station near Waikele Road. When the motorcycle tried to avoid the truck, the motorcycle went down, police said.

Police said the motorcyclist was in critical condition, and the pickup truck driver fled the scene. Police were not sure whether there was any contact between the two vehicles.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Scuba accident kills Big Isle diver

A 48-year-old woman died after a scuba diving accident Sunday afternoon near Kailua Pier on the Big Island, fire officials said.

The woman had stopped breathing while diving, her diving partner told emergency personnel.

Members of the UFO Parasail boat brought the woman to Kailua Pier and started performing CPR on her.

Big Island firefighters arrived at Kailua Pier around 2:30 p.m. and took over doing CPR on the woman.

The woman was transported to Kona Community Hospital, where she later died.

CENTRAL OAHU

Suspect arrested in flashlight assault

A 22-year-old Wahiawa man was arrested Sunday afternoon after allegedly hitting his girlfriend Saturday with a metal flashlight.

According to police, the couple was arguing Saturday evening. The boyfriend allegedly hit his 21-year-old girlfriend on the left cheek with a flashlight and choked her. He left before police arrived.

Shortly after 6 p.m. Sunday, police located the man at his home on Hoihoi Avenue and arrested him on suspicion of second-degree abuse and abusing a household member.

Head-on crash kills driver of van

WAILUKU » A 64-year-old man died yesterday after the van he was driving struck an oncoming truck in South Maui.

Patrick Gibson was heading north on Makena Alanui Drive at about 6:19 a.m. yesterday when he lost control of the vehicle south of Makena Road and crossed the center line, colliding with a truck traveling in the opposite direction, police Lt. Robert Hill said.

Gibson died at the scene. The driver of the truck, a 56-year-old Kahului man, was transported to Maui Memorial Medical Center, where he was treated and released, Hill said.

Gibson's death is the 23rd traffic fatality in Maui County this year, compared with 21 for the same period last year.

Hill said police are attempting to verify Gibson's place of residence.