BRIEF: Kona District Leads Island in DUI Arrests

For the first time this year, the Hawaii Police Department released district-by-district DUI arrest figures for the year.

The Kona district has seen 118 arrests this year for DUI related offenses, including 15 for the week of March 12th through the 18th. Both of those numbers are at the top of those respective time frames. The South Hilo district has three less arrests overall this year, and only four arrests in the past week. Following those districts are Puna (41 arrests), South Kohala (23), Ka’u (6), Hamakua (3), and North Kohala (2). There have been no DUI arrests  in North Hilo.

There have been 308 DUI arrests on the island this year, an increase of 4.1% in comparison to the same time frame last year. 27 of those arrests took place last week, with three of those people under the legal drinking age.

Major traffic accidents are also on the rise this year. There have been 323 traffic accidents this year, an increase of 7.7%, or 23 accidents, from 2011. The seven traffic fatalities are an increase of one from last year.

Police say that they will continue to set up DUI roadblocks and patrols around the island.