MEDIA RELEASE

During the week of May 18, 2015, through May 24, 2015, Hawaiʻi Island police arrested 29 motorists for driving under the influence of an intoxicant. Eight of the drivers were involved in traffic crashes. One was under the age of 21.

So far this year, there have been 401 DUI arrests compared with 501 during the same period last year, a decrease of 20 percent. The numbers of arrests by district were:

District	Weekly Total	Year to Date
Hāmākua 	1		6	
North Hilo	0		2	
South Hilo	5		140	
Puna    	5		83	
Ka’ū    	0		8	
Kona    	14		125	
South Kohala	3		36	
North Kohala	1		1	
Island Total	29		401

There have been 584 major accidents so far this year compared with 647 during the same period last year, a decrease of 9.7 percent.

So far this year, there have been nine traffic fatalities on Hawaiʻi Island compared with six during the same period last year, an increase of 50 percent.

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

DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.