Woman visiting from China dies while swimming

The Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victims in two accidents last week — a tourist from China who died Saturday morning while swimming, and a homeless man who was struck by a vehicle on Aug. 24.

Tak Mo So, 71, died in the ocean off Hawaii Kai Saturday morning, the Medical Examiner’s Office said. She was visiting from China.

According to police, So went swimming around 8:40 a.m. Saturday and was found floating in the water. Lifeguards attempted to resuscitate her.

The Medical Examiner’s Office also identified a man who was run over by a van near Honolulu Airport on Aug. 24 as John Weatherford, 50. He had no address.

Police say Weatherford was lying on North Nimitz Highway near Ohohia Street at about 2:05 a.m., when a silver 2005 van driven by a 57-year-old man struck him in the middle lane of the highway in the Ewa-bound direction.

Police are still trying to figure out if Weatherford was a victim of a hit-and-run accident before he was struck by the van. Weatherford died from multiple blunt force injuries, according to an autopsy report.

Mac nut delivery truck crashes, killing driver

The driver of a macadamia nut delivery truck died Monday when the truck hit a tree in Keaau, Hawaii County fire officials reported.

Firefighters received a call at 12:48 p.m. that a Mauna Loa delivery truck hit a pine tree on Macadamia Road.

The impact crushed the truck’s cab and the driver, 67, was declared dead at the scene, officials said.

Police investigators began an accident investigation.

Puna man arrested in sexual assault of hitchhiker

Hawaii County police have charged a 22-year-old Puna man with sexual assault and other offenses in the assault of a female hitchhiker in 2010.

Police detectives charged John Tak on Friday with two counts of first-degree sexual assault. Tak was also charged with kidnapping and second-degree theft.

Police arrested Tak Thursday without incident at his home.

A woman reported to police on Aug. 4, 2010, that she was hitchhiking on Highway 11 near Panaewa Zoo when a man stopped and offered her a ride. She reported that he drove her to the Hawaiian Acres subdivision and sexually assaulted her.

Tak was being held at the Hilo police cellblock in lieu of $250,000 bail.