On his way back to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, President Bush called Honolulu Police Chief Boisse Correa from Air Force One to check on the motorcycle officer injured in Bush's motorcade on O'ahu.

Motorcycle officer Steve Favella, 30, remained hospitalized in critical condition at The Queen's Medical Center last night, said Capt. Frank Fujii.

Correa said the president told him that he and the first lady were both praying for the officer and asked: "Is there anything we can do?"

Correa said Favella's condition is "very, very serious" and the doctors are calling for people to donate blood. "He's lost a lot of blood," Correa said.

Favella joined the Honolulu Police Department eight years ago and has served with the motorcycle unit for two years, Correa said. He said Favella has four children.

Favella was initially taken to the hospital with internal injuries and bleeding. Doctors operated on him to control the bleeding, but Fujii could not say what was being done to treat Favella's injuries yesterday.

"We appreciate everyone's prayers and thoughts," Fujii said.

Favella was part of the police motorcycle escort leading the way for Bush during his brief visit to Hawai'i. Favella and two other officers crashed near a bend along O'Malley Boulevard as the motorcade left Hickam Air Force Base about 7:10 a.m. Tuesday.

The two other officers were taken to Queen's in serious condition and later released.

The cause of the crash is not known. Police have described the stretch of road as very slippery where the crash occurred.

"It's still under investigation," Fujii said.

Correa said people are examining every aspect of the accident and asking: "Can we do it any different?" He said the investigation includes the procedures and equipment used, but police so far have found nothing to indicate what could have been done to prevent the crash.

"They weren't going at a high speed," Correa said. He said the other two injured officers are still hurting but had improved enough to go home for the holiday.

Police also said Tuesday that the road's surface was "not typical asphalt," but a base spokesman yesterday said it was no different from other O'ahu roads.

Air Force Master Sgt. Robert Burgess, a spokesman for the 15th Airlift Wing at Hickam, also said the road was not treated with anything that would have made it slippery or change its appearance.

"The roads were wet from a morning rain shower," he said. "We did not use any spray to enhance the appearance of the roads during the presidential visit here."

In other news related to the presidential visit, Mayor Mufi Hannemann said the mugging of a Bush staff member is unfortunate, but he is confident that it was an isolated incident.

Hannemann said he regrets the "negative experience in paradise," but doesn't think it is typical or common.

Correa agreed. "Our crime rate has been going down for 3 1/2 years," Correa said. He added that Waikiki is safe and "we have it adequately staffed."

Reach Robbie Dingeman at rdingeman@honoluluadvertiser.com and Mike Gordon at mgordon@honoluluadvertiser.com.