HILO, Hawai'i — A 52-year-old Kona woman died Monday after she was struck by a truck as she was mowing the lawn in front of her home, police said.

Shelley Williams, of Holualoa, was struck shortly before 6:37 p.m. as she worked near Palekana Road, just north of the intersection with Old Poi Factory Road in South Kona.

Kona police said a 28-year-old Kailua, Kona, man was driving north on Palekana Road in a 2001 Ford Ranger pickup truck when he allegedly ran off the right side of the road and struck Williams.

Williams was taken to Kona Community Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 10:25 p.m.

The driver of the truck was arrested on suspicion of negligent homicide, and released pending further investigation.

It was unknown if alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash, but police said they believe high speed was a factor.

GUNSHOT WOUND TO HEAD KILLS MAN

A 37-year-old man reportedly playing Russian roulette in Waimanalo with a recently acquired pistol died yesterday morning from a gunshot wound to the head, police said.

Police were investigating the case as an unattended death. An autopsy listed the cause of death as head injuries due to a gunshot.

A woman, 26, told police she was in a van with the man at 1:35 a.m. playing Russian roulette.

MAUI MAYOR'S SPEECH FRIDAY

Maui Mayor Charmaine Tavares will present her first State of the County address to the County Council at 10 a.m. Friday in the Council Chambers on the eighth floor of the county building.

The speech is open to the public, but seating is limited.

The address also will be shown live on Akaku-Maui Community Television, channel 53.

NEPHEW OF 'DOG' HURT IN CRASH

HILO, Hawai'i — A nephew of bounty hunter and television personality Duane "Dog" Chapman was critically injured early Sunday morning when his vehicle struck a tree in Lower Puna near the Lava Tree State Park.

Justin DeRago Bihag, 24, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of intoxicants, driving without a license, driving without no-fault insurance and inattention to driving, said Big Island police spokeswoman Chris Loos.

The single-car accident on Highway 132 was reported to police at about 2:20 a.m., Loos said.

Bihag, of Pahoa, has appeared in episodes of the popular television series "Dog The Bounty Hunter." After the crash, he was taken to Hilo Medical Center and later flown to The Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu.

HARD LANDING FOR SCHOFIELD COPTER

An OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter from Schofield Barracks' combat aviation brigade made a "hard landing" south of Kirkuk in Iraq last Thursday, officials said.

The two pilots, who were injured, were evacuated to a military treatment facility at Kirkuk Air Base.

Lt. Col. Mike Donnelly, a Task Force Lightning spokes-man out of Hawai'i, said "the pilots are in the hospital getting the best care."

The helicopter accident is under investigation. Preliminary reports indicated the cause of the hard landing was mechanical, and not hostile fire, the military said.

More than 7,000 Schofield soldiers are about eight months into a year-long deployment to Iraq.