Police arrest 31 for suspected DUI

KAILUA-KONA — Hawaii Island police arrested 31 motorists for suspected driving under the influence of an intoxicant between July 3 and Sunday. Two of the drivers were involved in a traffic accident.

Seventeen of those drivers were arrested by officers in the Kona District while Puna officers arrested seven and South Hilo officers five. South Kohala officers nabbed two motorists.

So far this year, there have been 612 DUI arrests compared with 566 during the same period last year, an increase of 8.1 percent, according to the Hawaii Police Department.

There have been 705 major accidents so far this year compared with 755 during the same period last year, a decrease of 6.6 percent.

To date, there were 18 fatal crashes resulting in 20 fatalities, compared with 11 fatal crashes resulting in 12 fatalities during the same time period last year.