Motorcyclist badly injured after colliding with car

A 21-year-old Waianae man was critically injured when his motorcycle collided with a car yesterday in Waianae.

Police said the car, driven by a 17-year-old Waianae girl, was heading toward town on Farrington Highway and turned left on Old Government Road in front of the motorcycle, which was heading toward Makaha.

Police said the motorcycle struck the car at 2:59 p.m.

Police said the motorcyclist's speeding may have played a role in the accident.

The man, who was not wearing a helmet, was taken to the Queen's Medical Center in critical condition.

A 39-year-old Waianae woman who was a front-seat passenger in the car was taken in good condition with minor injuries to Hawaii Medical Center West. A 14-year-old female passenger in the car was not injured.

Police shut down two leeward-bound lanes and one town-bound lane and redirected traffic to Old Government Road while police investigated.

Police reopened all lanes on Farrington at 6:20 p.m.

S. African woman arrested in marijuana bust on Maui

WAILUKU » A South African woman has been arrested for her alleged role in a marijuana-trafficking ring that shipped 130 pounds of pot to Maui.

Federal and local agents intercepted the shipment from California last week and found the drugs with an estimated street value of more than $840,000. Authorities say it's the largest-ever processed marijuana seizure and investigation in Maui County.

Authorities arrested the 37-year-old woman in Kula on suspicion of commercial promotion of marijuana and prohibited acts related to drug paraphernalia. The suspect, who is in the United States illegally, has been taken to Oahu for a federal immigration hold.

Authorities have not released her name because of pending grand jury indictments.

Small fire in field spreads to 40 acres before it's doused

A brush fire burned about 40 acres of former sugar-cane fields in Waiawa yesterday.

Firefighters had the blaze, first reported at 1:30 p.m., contained in 1 1/2 hours.

Fire Capt. Terry Seelig said the Fire Department sent five engines, three tankers and a helicopter to the area, about two miles from the Pearl City Industrial Park.

The two- to three-acre fire quickly spread to 40 acres in less than an hour, Seelig said.

Boy, 14, accused of hitting man with large tree branch

Police arrested a 14-year-old boy yesterday for allegedly hitting a 25-year-old man with a large tree branch in Pearl City.

The boy was arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault and first-degree terroristic threatening.

The man told police the boy hit him on the head with a large tree branch about 8:40 a.m., then threatened to kill him, police said.

The boy was released pending investigation late yesterday morning.