MEDIA RELEASE

During the week of June 2, 2009, through June 8, 2009, Big Island police arrested 36 motorists for drunk driving. Eight of the drivers were involved in traffic crashes. Eight were under the age of 21.

So far this year, there have been 586 DUI arrests compared with 617 during the same period last year, a decrease of 5 percent. The numbers of arrests by district were:

DUI Arrests by District
District	Weekly Total	Year to Date
Hāmākua 	0		2
North Hilo	0		0
South Hilo	7		176
Puna    	8		73
Ka'u    	0		22
Kona    	15		252
South Kohala	4		46
North Kohala	2		15
Island Total	36		586

There have been 707 major accidents so far this year compared with 800 during the same period last year, a decrease of 11.6 percent.

So far this year, there were 12 traffic fatalities on the Big Island compared with 11 during the same period last year.

DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.