Hilo woman dies, man hurt in crash

An 81-year-old woman died and an 89-year-old man was in critical condition after a two-vehicle crash yesterday north of Hilo, Hawaii County police said.

Police identified the female victim as Dorothy M. Decoito of Hilo.

The Hilo man was flown to the Queen’s Medical Center on Oahu, police said.

Police said the man was driving a Ford sedan on Hawaii Belt Road when he made a left turn in front of an oncoming Ford pickup at Kulana Road about 10 a.m.

Decoito was in the front seat of the pickup, which was being driven by a 70-year-old Hakalau man. He was taken to Hilo Medical Center, where he was treated for minor injuries and released, police said.

Decoito died at Hilo Medical Center at 12:09 p.m.

Everyone was wearing a seat belt, police said.

Traffic investigators have opened a negligent homicide investigation and ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

It was the 22nd Big Island traffic fatality this year compared with 19 at this time last year.

Man, 41, charged in girl’s sex assault

A 41-year-old man charged in connection with the sexual assault of an 8-year-old girl in Makaha made his initial appearance in Honolulu District Court yesterday.

John James Arruda Jr. was charged with four counts of first-degree sexual assault and was released from Oahu Community Correctional Center after posting $100,000 bail.

Police reported earlier this month that the victim told a school counselor that she had been assaulted by the suspect.