A sex-assault suspect awaiting trial was arrested yesterday at O'ahu Community Correctional Center on multiple sex-assault counts and first-degree child abuse unrelated to his other case.

The man, 24, of an Ala Ilima Street address, was arrested for prosecution via complaint at 11 a.m. on four counts of first-degree and two counts of third-degree sex assault in addition to child abuse stemming from a 2007 investigation.

On Jan. 24, 2007, the man was indicted by a grand jury for first- and third-degree sex assaults involving a child younger than 14, dating to 2003. He is being held at OCCC in lieu of $150,000 bail. His trial is scheduled for June.

$1.5M RELEASED FOR SCHOOL PLAYGROUNDS

The state has released $1.5 million to install safe and accessible playground equipment at 17 schools across the state.

Projects covered by this allotment are scheduled to be completed by December 2009.

On O'ahu, the schools are: Enchanted Lake Elementary School, 'Ewa Beach Elementary, Hawai'i Center for the Deaf and Blind, Jarrett Middle School, Kaewai Elementary, Ka'iulani Elementary, Kane'ohe Elementary, Koko Head Elementary, Mililani Waena Elementary, Nanaikapono Elementary and Pearlridge Elementary.

MAN GETS 8 MONTHS FOR THEFT OFFENSES

A 47-year-old man was sentenced last month to eight months imprisonment and three years supervised release for theft offenses related to fraudulent receipt of his dead father's Social Security benefits, the U.S. attorney's office for Hawai'i announced yesterday.

Jeffrey Keola, a former HMSA compliance auditor, was sentenced Feb. 14 by Chief District Judge Helen Gillmor. Keola pleaded guilty to improperly receiving $83,000 in Social Security benefit payments intended for his father from 2000 to 2005. Keola's father died in 2000.

MOTORCYCLIST HURT IN MCCULLY COLLISION

A male motorcyclist was critically injured last night in a collision involving a car fronting 2829 Date St. in McCully. The collision was reported to police at 8:43 p.m.

The motorcyclist was taken to The Queen's Medical Center, said Honolulu Emergency Services spokesman Bryan Cheplic.

No other details were available at press time.