The driver in a Kaukonahua Road accident last night that ended with the car engine catching fire remains hospitalized today in serious condition at The Queen's Medical Center.

The one-car accident happened at about 6:55 p.m. when the driver, a 39-year-old Kuilima resident, was headed south, 1.7 miles west of the Wilikina Drive intersection. The car, a white Toyota, veered off the roadway and hit an ironwood tree.

The driver was able to leave the car, police said, and the engine caught fire.

He suffered a broken collarbone and was taken to Queen's in critical condition, but later was upgraded to serious condition, police said.

Threat against girl leads to 2 arrests

Police arrested two 15-year-old girls in Waikiki Sunday on suspicion of threatening another girl with a knife.

The incident reportedly occurred at about 9:20 p.m. at an undisclosed Waikiki location. One girl wielded the knife and threatened to kill the victim, 17. The other suspect hid the knife from witnesses and police.

The suspects were released pending further investigation.

Waimanalo hiking victim identified

The city medical examiner's office has identified the man who died in a fall from a Waimanalo hiking trail Sunday as Jheffrey Miller.

Miller, 23, was an 'Aiea resident.

Fire officials said he fell from a mountaintop about 600 feet above Kalaniana'ole Highway and landed in a gorge about 200 feet below.

Motorcyclist who died in crash ID'd

The Schofield Barracks man killed in a Saturday motorcycle accident has been identified as Jose Melendez, 27.

Melendez died at St. Francis Medical Center-West, where he had been taken following the 11:55 p.m. crash at Campbell Industrial Park.

Police said he had been riding southbound on Hanu'a Street, near the Malakole Street intersection, when the motorcycle veered to the right, hit a curb and crashed into a tree.

2 prison escapees captured in 4 days

Two prison escapees have been captured in the past four days.

The Honolulu police CrimeStoppers program yesterday announced that an escaped prisoner was arrested at a Waikiki hotel on Friday.

Michael Kauonoi Jay had been on furlough from his sentence on burglary and assault convictions when he escaped from the Laumaka Street work furlough center Jan. 28.

In the second case, a 39-year-old inmate escaped Sept. 23 from the T.J. Mahoney halfway house when she was due to be transferred back to the O'ahu Community Correctional Center because she tested positive for alcohol use.

She was seen crossing 9th Avenue at about 4:45 p.m. yesterday and was arrested.

Ticket investigation focuses on trio

Police are investigating whether three Kaua'i female suspects attending a Janet Jackson concert in Honolulu paid for their tickets or stole them.

Kaua'i police said investigation centers on an earlier burglary at a Lihu'e beauty salon, from which tickets reportedly had been stolen.

Queen Street bank robber takes cash

A robber passed a note demanding money to a teller Friday at the Queen Street branch of American Savings Bank and fled on foot.