MEDIA RELEASE

During the week of April 19, 2010, through April 26, 2010, Big Island police arrested 39 motorists for drunk driving. Eleven of the drivers were involved in traffic crashes. Five were under the age of 21.

So far this year, there have been 499 DUI arrests compared with 415 during the same period last year, an increase of 20.2 percent. The numbers of arrests by district were:

DUI Arrests by District
District	Weekly Total	Year to Date

Hāmākua 	0		3
North Hilo	0		1
South Hilo	21		170
Puna    	3		40
Ka'Å«    	3		27
Kona    	12		216
South Kohala	0		39
North Kohala	0		3

Island Total	39		499

There have been 430 major accidents so far this year compared with 542 during the same period last year, a decrease of 20.7 percent.

So far this year, there were nine traffic fatalities on the Big Island compared with five during the same period last year, an increase of 80 percent.

DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.