Separate crashes leave biker dead, another critical

A 29-year-old motorcyclist died yesterday in a head-on collision outside Wahiawa.

Police said the motorcyclist was Haleiwa-bound at 1:13 p.m. when he failed to negotiate a bend in Kaukonahua Road and smashed into an oncoming car about a mile past Wilikina Drive.

The man died at the scene. Police said he was wearing a helmet.

A 24-year-old woman driving the Chrysler sedan and three passengers were not injured. The road was closed until about 4:30 p.m.

It was the 42nd traffic fatality on Oahu, compared with 36 at this time last year.

In a separate accident around 8 last night, another motorcyclist was in critical condition after a crash on Kunia Road near Kupuna Loop, police said.

The biker, a man in his late 50s, was taken to Hawaii Medical Center West.

Police arrest mother accused of beating child

Police arrested a 24-year-old Waikiki woman for allegedly beating her 17-month-old daughter.

Police said paramedics responded to a call Saturday afternoon about an unresponsive infant and took the girl and her mother to a hospital. The mother admitted inflicting serious injury to the girl, police said.

She was booked on suspicion of first-degree assault.