Hawai‘i Island police report 15 DUI arrests last week

Nearly all of the DUI arrests reported during the week of July 29 to Aug. 4 occurred in West Hawai‘i.

Eight out of the 15 motorists arrested for driving under the influence were in Kona. Two of the drivers taken into custody last week were involved in a traffic accident. One of the drivers was under the age of 21.

So far this year, there have been 578 DUI arrests compared with 574 during the same period last year. This is an increase of 0.7%.

Hawai‘i Police Department’s Traffic Services Section reviewed all updated crashes and found 579 major crashes so far this year, compared with 503 during the same time last year, a 15.1% increase.

Authorities report a 100% increase in fatal crashes and fatalities.

To date, there have been 18 fatal crashes, resulting in 20 fatalities (two of which had multiple deaths, one was reclassified as suicide, and one reclassified as a medical condition), compared with 9 fatal crashes, resulting in 10 fatalities (one of which had multiple deaths, and one died at a later date) for the same time last year.

To date, the non-traffic fatality count so far this year is zero compared to zero non-traffic fatalities (not on a public roadway) for the same time last year.

DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island-wide.