MEDIA RELEASE

During the week of May 14, 2012, through May 20, 2012, Big Island police arrested 32 motorists for drunk driving. Nine of the drivers were involved in traffic crashes. One was under the age of 21.

So far this year, there have been 558 DUI arrests compared with 577 during the same period last year, a decrease of 3.3 percent. The numbers of arrests by district were:

District	Weekly Total	Year to Date
Hāmākua 	1		4	
North Hilo	1		2	
South Hilo	12		197	
Puna    	1		69	
Ka’ū    	2		14	
Kona    	13		231	
South Kohala	2		37	
North Kohala	0		4	
Island Total:	32		558

There have been 576 major accidents so far this year compared with 542 during the same period last year, an increase of 6.3 percent.

So far this year, there were 14 traffic fatalities on the Big Island compared with nine during the same period last year, an increase of 55.6 percent.

To date, five fatalities were related to drugs (4), alcohol (1), or a combination of both (0).

DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.