Motorcyclist crashes on road curve

A 45-year-old Japanese national was badly injured when the motorcycle he was riding crashed along a sharp curve of Kamehameha Highway near Crouching Lion Inn in Kaaawa at about 10:25 a.m. yesterday.

No other vehicles were involved, but traffic was contra-flowed for several hours as officers investigated the crash.

Police initially reported the man as being taken to the Queen’s Medical Center in critical condition.

A city Department of Emergency Services spokesman said the victim was later upgraded to serious and stable condition.

The man was driving a 2001 Harley-Davidson northbound when he lost control and hit a guardrail, police said. He was thrown from the motorcycle.

The victim was not wearing a helmet.

Dishwasher fault cited in Waikiki fire

A malfunctioning dishwasher started a fire at a Waikiki apartment building on Cleghorn Street Thursday, a Hono-lulu Fire Department spokesman said yesterday.

The fire in Unit 501 of the Waikiki Skytower apartments caused $100,000 damage to the apartment and its contents.

Fire Capt. Earle Kealoha said investigators determined that the fire started when the dishwasher in the apartment malfunctioned.

A resident of that apartment had said he suspected that the fire might have been caused by a pizza left cooking in a toaster oven. Firefighters had to break into the apartment and contained the fire to the kitchen.

The Red Cross was called to help the two people who live in the apartment.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Leaders at noisy party

HILO » West Hawaii Today is reporting that Big Island Mayor Billy Kenoi and state Rep. Jerry Chang were participants in a loud drinking party broken up by police this month.

Kenoi told the newspaper in yesterday’s editions he was at the party and that alcohol was served to celebrate the end of the annual Merrie Monarch Festival.

He said festival organizers publicly announced the party, and everyone was invited.

Hawaii County police responded to a noise complaint in the early morning of May 1 at Aunty Sally’s Luau Hale, part of the county park complex near downtown Hilo. No one was arrested.

South Hilo Patrol Capt. Robert Wagner said he could not locate an alcohol permit for the location.

Wagner said police would not treat the incident differently just because the mayor was there.