MEDIA RELEASE

Traffic Enforcement Unit officers conducted their first nighttime seat belt checkpoint Wednesday night (May 27) in downtown Hilo in conjunction with the national “Click It or Ticket” campaign.

“Statistics show that a high number of people don’t wear their seatbelts at night because they think that officers won’t be able to see them,” said Sergeant Christopher Gali, head of the Traffic Enforcement Unit.

Officers issued the following citations:

Citations
Seat Belt Violations 10
Moving Violations 5
Regulatory Violations 7
Speeding Violations 1

Officers also arrested and charged Alton A. Cantan, 21, of Kurtistown with operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant and resisting and order to stop after he was observed not wearing his seat belt and refused to stop.

A passenger in the vehicle, Marcus Oshiro, 19, of Hilo was arrested and charged with consuming/possessing intoxicating liquor while a passenger in a motor vehicle and prohibition involving a minor after he was observed to have in his possession a Heineken beer bottle.

Both parties were released after posting bail.

Traffic Enforcement Unit officers will continue to conduct nighttime seat belt checkpoints to increase the use of seat belts and child restraints at night.