Hawaii Police Department officers arrested 18 motorists for suspected drunken driving between June 6 and Sunday. One of the drivers was involved in a traffic crash; one was younger than age 21.
South Hilo officers arrested eight drivers while Kona officers nabbed five and Puna officers three, according to data released by the Hawaii Police Department. South Kohala and North Kohala officers arrested one motorist on each district.
So far this year, there have been 479 DUI arrests compared with 542 during the same period last year, according to police.
There have been 339 major accidents so far this year compared with 350 during the same period last year.
Seventeen fatalities have been recorded on the Big Island’s public roadways this year, including the death of a Kailua-Kona woman struck by a vehicle while she was crossing Queen Kaahumanu Highway. By this time in 2021, 11 people had died.