A 1-year-old Holualoa girl died yesterday when a vehicle ran her over as it was backing out of a driveway on Moku'aikaua Road, Big Island police said.

The girl was identified as Maylani Piper-Caravalho of a Holualoa address.

Kona patrol officers said a 40-year-old Na'alehu man driving a 2007 Honda Pilot had gone to the Holualoa residence shortly before 3 p.m. to pick up his son.

The girl was taken to Kona Community Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Police do not suspect alcohol or speed in the case. A negligent homicide investigation was initiated.

It was the third such driveway fatality involving a toddler in the past four months.

On March 6 in Hau'ula, Teysia Aku, 2, was killed when a Chevy TrailBlazer backed over her in a driveway.

On Dec. 14 a 1-year-old boy died after being run over in the driveway of his family's Mapele Place home in Kahalu'u.

POLICE LOOKING FOR DRUNKEN DRIVERS

Honolulu police will be setting up sobriety checkpoints during the holiday weekend.

The checkpoints were set up at unannounced times and locations beginning last night and will run until Monday.

As of yesterday, 26 people have died on O'ahu this year as the result of traffic collisions, compared with 23 at the same time last year.

Six of the fatal collisions this year have been determined to be alcohol- or drug-related.

FREITAS SELECTED FOR BIG ISLE COURT

The state Judicial Selection Commission on Thursday submitted Harry Freitas as its nominee for District Court judge on the Big Island.

Freitas had been chosen by Hawai'i Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald T.Y. Moon for the vacancy but was rejected this week by the state Senate because Moon missed a constitutional deadline to make the appointment.

Moon had 30 days to name his nominees after the commission gave him a list of candidates. Since the nominees were submitted too late, the commission has the power make the nomination. It chose Freitas, an attorney with the Big Island's deputy corporation counsel.

SHARK SIGHTING CLOSES BEACH AREA

HA'ENA, Kaua'i — Kaua'i Ocean Safety Bureau officers yesterday closed the Ha'ena Beach area to swimmers after a tiger shark was seen near the shore this morning.

The shark was 6 to 8 feet long. It was seen at 10 a.m., about 15 yards offshore.

Swimmers are being urged to go to other Kaua'i beaches with lifeguards. Ha'ena Beach fronts the county's Ha'ena Beach Park.

CANOE RACE TO HONOR WATERMAN

A canoe race to honor veteran waterman Michael Tongg will take place April 22 at the 'Anuenue Canoe Club site off the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor. Tongg has served as president of the Polynesian Voyaging Society.

The race will start at 9 a.m. and feature paddling events for men, women and children. The entry fee is $125 per crew; the registration deadline is April 15.

UH STUDY SOUGHT ON TREES IN MANOA

State Sen. Brian Taniguchi is calling for a study of albizia trees in Manoa.

The non-native trees are prominent in the community and grow very large but have a shallow root system and are susceptible to wind damage. Albizia trees are also found in many other O'ahu neighborhoods.

Taniguchi, D-10th (Manoa), wants the University of Hawai'i to study how the trees could be systematically weeded out and replaced.