MEDIA RELEASE

During the week of April 23, 2012, through April 29, 2012, Big Island police arrested 29 motorists for drunk driving. Ten of the drivers were involved in traffic crashes. Two were under the age of 21.

So far this year, there have been 471 DUI arrests compared with 459 during the same period last year, an increase of 2.6 percent. The numbers of arrests by district were:

District	Weekly Total	Year to Date
Hāmākua 	0		3
North Hilo	0		0
South Hilo	10		167
Puna    	2		62
Ka’ū    	1		10
Kona    	15		194
South Kohala	1		31
North Kohala	0		4
Island Total:	29		471

There have been 491 major accidents so far this year compared with 460 during the same period last year, an increase of 6.7 percent.

So far this year, there were 11 traffic fatalities (revised 04/23/12—a fatality on April 19 was reclassified to a medical condition) on the Big Island compared with eight during the same period last year, an increase of 37.5 percent.

To date, four fatalities were related to drugs (3), alcohol (1), or a combination of both (0).

DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.