17 nabbed for suspected drunken driving

Seventeen Hawaii Island motorists were arrested for suspected drunken driving between March 28 and Sunday. Two of the drivers were involved in a traffic crash; two were younger than age 21.

South Hilo officers arrested six drivers while Kona and Puna officers arrested four motorists in each district, according to data released by the Hawaii Police Department. Meanwhile, South Kohala officers arrested three impaired drivers.

So far this year, there have been 286 DUI arrests compared with 326 during the same period last year, according to police.

There have been 187 major accidents so far this year compared with 196 during the same period last year.

A dozen fatalities had been recorded on the Big Island’s public roadways this year, police said. By this time in 2021, seven people had died.