A 50-year-old woman was taken to The Queen's Medical Center in critical condition yesterday afternoon after she was run over by a kayaker about 100 yards offshore at Waikiki.

City Emergency Medical Services technicians arrived at 2:29 p.m. to render aid to the woman, who was pulled from the water by other swimmers and surfers after she was found, unconscious, floating face down. Bryan Cheplic, city EMS spokesman, said she suffered a "very large" cut on the back of her head.

COLLISION FATAL TO PUHI MAN, 42

PUHI — A 42-year-old Puhi man died Sunday in a collision on Kaumuali'i Highway near Halfway Bridge.

Police said a 17-year-old boy was driving a van westbound at about 6 p.m. when the vehicle crossed the center line, sideswiped a truck and slammed into a station wagon operated by Michael Gonzales, who died at the scene.

The teenage driver was admitted to Wilcox Hospital.

Gonzales is Kaua'i's sixth traffic fatality of the year.

BEACHGOERS TELL OF STINGS

LAHAINA — Police received at least a dozen calls yesterday from people who had been stung by Portuguese man-of-war, prompting officials to alert beachgoers from Launiupoko to Ka'anapali in West Maui.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources said southeast winds are blowing the floating ocean creatures toward shore. "The (man-of-war) may continue to come ashore here as long as the southeasterly winds persist," said DLNR Chairman Peter Young.

The sea animals — actually colonies of animals — have long blue, threadlike tentacles and a clear to bluish bladder-like float. If stung, rinse the area with salt or fresh water to remove any tentacles stuck to the skin. Do not apply vinegar because it can make the sting worse, officials said. Stings can trigger allergic reactions such as shortness of breath that may require emergency medical treatment.