During the week of Dec. 2-8, Hawaii Island police arrested 27 motorists for DUI. Four of the drivers were involved in traffic accidents. One was younger than 21.
The numbers of arrests by district were:
• Kona, 10.
• South Hilo, seven.
• Puna, six.
• Hamakua, North Hilo, South Kohala and Ka‘u, one each.
There were multiple arrests for other charges stemming from the DUI arrests including two for open container of alcohol, three for driving without a license, four for driving while license suspended and eight for driving without insurance.
In addition, there were eight arrests for other related moving or regulatory violations, police said.
So far this year, there have been 1,014 DUI arrests compared to 1,018 during the same period last year, a decrease of 0.4%.
There have been 917 major accidents so far this year compared to 1,077 during the same period last year, a decrease of 14.9%.
To date, there have been 23 official traffic fatalities compared to 29 fatalities for the same time last year.
This represents a decrease 20.7% for fatalities.
There also have been three road-related deaths on the Big Island this year that police don’t count toward the official traffic fatality total — one because an autopsy found the driver died of a medical condition, a second because an autopsy found the driver died of natural causes and a third because the collision occurred in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which is not in Hawaii Police Department jurisdiction.
DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue islandwide, police said.