Police arrest 17 for suspected DUI

Hawaii Island police arrested 17 motorists for driving under the influence of an intoxicant between May 11 and Sunday. Three of the drivers were involved in traffic crashes.

So far this year, there have been 372 DUI arrests compared with 485 during the same period last year, a decrease of 23.3 percent.

Seven drivers were arrested by officers in South Hilo, according to the Hawaii Police Department. Puna and Kona drivers arrested five drivers in each district.

There have been 556 major accidents so far this year compared with 624 during the same period last year, a decrease of 10.9 percent.

To date there have been nine traffic fatalities on Hawaii Island compared with six during the same period last year, an increase of 50 percent.

One of the fatalities was related to drugs and three were attributed to a combination of alcohol and drugs.