KAILUA-KONA — A slight uptick in weekly DUI arrests islandwide was recorded in a police report released Tuesday.
During the week of Dec. 11 to 17, 24 DUI arrests were made, the report stated. The week prior, only 21 DUI arrests were made islandwide.
Last week, the Kona district had the most arrests with eight. Puna and South Hilo tied for second with six arrests. Ka’u had two arrests and North and South Kohala had one arrest.
Hamakua and North Hilo districts reported zero arrests last week.
According to the report, five of the drivers were involved in a traffic accident and five of the drivers were under the age of 21.
So far this year, police say, there have been 1,115 DUI arrests compared to 1,061 during the same period last year, a 5.1 percent increase.
There have been 1,301 major accidents so far this year compared with 1,384 during the same period last year, a decrease of 6 percent.
To date, there were 30 fatal crashes (one of which had multiple deaths), resulting in 32 fatalities, compared with 26 fatal crashes (five of which had multiple deaths), resulting in 31 fatalities for the same time last year, the report indicated.
These statistics represent an increase 15.4 percent for fatal crashes and 3.2 percent for fatalities.
DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue islandwide.