MEDIA RELEASE

During the week of July 9, 2012, through July 15, 2012, Big Island police arrested 18 motorists for drunk driving. Four of the drivers were involved in traffic crashes.

So far this year, there have been 745 DUI arrests compared with 722 during the same period last year, a decrease of 3.5 percent. The numbers of arrests by district were:

District	Weekly Total	Year to Date
Hāmākua 	0		6	
North Hilo	0		2	
South Hilo	2		249	
Puna    	4		101	
Ka’ū    	0		15	
Kona    	11		321	
South Kohala	1		46	
North Kohala	0		5	
Island Total:	18		745

There have been 785 major accidents so far this year compared with 734 during the same period last year, an increase of 6.9 percent.

So far this year, there were 19 traffic fatalities on the Big Island compared with 12 during the same period last year, an increase of 58.3 percent.

To date, 11 fatalities were related to drugs (6), alcohol (3), or a combination of both (2).

DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.