MEDIA RELEASE

During the week of August 10, 2015, through August 16 2015, Hawaiʻi Island police arrested 21 motorists for driving under the influence of an intoxicant. Ten of the drivers were involved in a traffic crash. One of the drivers was under the age of 21.

So far this year, there have been 649 DUI arrests compared with 741 during the same period last year, a decrease of 12.4 percent. The numbers of arrests by district were:

District	Weekly Total	Year to Date
Hāmākua 	1		9	
North Hilo	0		2	
South Hilo	3		201	
Puna    	1		129	
Ka’ū    	0		13	
Kona    	13		230	
South Kohala	3		62	
North Kohala	0		3	
Island Total	21		649

There have been 940 major accidents so far this year compared with 992 during the same period last year, a decrease of 5.2 percent.

So far this year, there were fifteen traffic fatalities on Hawai`i Island compared with nine fatalities during the same period last year, an increase of 66.7 percent. (One fatality that occurred on July 18, 2015, reclassified to a medical condition)

To date, eight fatalities related to drugs only (5), alcohol only (0), or a combination of both (3). (Compared with six fatalities related to drugs only (3), alcohol only (0) or a combination of both (3).

DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.