2 crashes kill riders of motorcycle, mo-ped

Speed might have been a factor in two separate crashes that killed a motorcyclist and mo-ped rider Thursday night on Oahu, police said.

The Honolulu Medical Examiner's Office identified the motorcyclist who died in Punaluu as Daniel M. Kapu Jr. of Hauula.

Kapu, 29, was North Shore-bound on Kamehameha Highway near Punaluu Valley Road when he lost control of his Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle, crossed onto the shoulder and hit a road sign at 9:52 p.m., police said.

He was not wearing a helmet and died at the scene.

About an hour later a Wahiawa man driving an Armada mo-ped on Whitmore Avenue ran a stop sign at Ihihi Avenue and entered the path of a Toyota SUV.

The SUV smashed into the mo-ped and stopped on top of it, police said.

The 29-year-old mo-ped driver, who was not wearing a helmet, was thrown onto the pavement. He died at the Queen's Medical Center.

A 39-year-old woman driving the SUV and two children inside were not hurt.

It was the 27th and 28th traffic deaths on Oahu this year, compared with 26 at this last year, police said.

Hanging death ruled suicide

The Medical Examiner's Office determined the inmate found hanging Thursday from an air vent at Oahu Community Correctional Center died from asphyxia by hanging and that the manner was suicide.

No identification was available yesterday.

The 48-year-old pretrial detainee faced multiple felony charges.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Church fire generates arson probe

HILO » What appears to be an attempt to burn down a Big Island church is being investigated by police.

Thanks to passers-by who doused the flames, only minimal damage was sustained by Central Christian Church in Hilo on Thursday morning.

The Rev. Robert Daley says burn marks along the outside of the building indicate someone made four unsuccessful attempts to get a fire going. But he says a fifth attempt started what turned out to be a small fire at a doorway.

Daley says unofficial damage estimates to the 118-year-old church range up to $2,000.