DUI arrests down 27 percent in 2015

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Hawaii Island police arrested 20 motorists for allegedly driving under the influence of an intoxicant between March 2 and Sunday. The Hawaii Police Department says nine of the drivers were involved in traffic crashes that week.

Hawaii Island police arrested 20 motorists for allegedly driving under the influence of an intoxicant between March 2 and Sunday. The Hawaii Police Department says nine of the drivers were involved in traffic crashes that week.

So far in 2015, there have been 180 suspected DUI arrests compared with 248 during the same period one year ago, according to police. That’s 27 percent fewer arrests.

South Hilo officers arrested nine motorists while Kona officers arrested seven and Puna officers six, according to police. Officers in the South Kohala district arrested one driver.

There have been 258 major accidents so far in 2015 compared with 326 during the same period last year.

So far in this year, there have been five traffic fatalities on Hawaii Island compared with three during the same period in 2014, a 66.7 percent increase. To date, one fatality was related to drugs, police said.