Seventeen nabbed for DUI

Hawaii Police Department officers arrested 17 motorists for suspected drunken driving between Dec. 19 and Sunday. Five of the drivers were involved in traffic crashes and four were younger than age 21.

Kona officers arrested seven drivers while Puna officers arrested four and South Hilo officers three, according to data released by the Hawaii Police Department. South Kohala officers arrested two drivers while North Kohala officers nabbed one.

So far this year, there have been 948 DUI arrests compared with 1,057 during the same period last year, according to police.

There have been 829 major accidents so far this year compared with 801 during the same period last year.

Thirty-four fatalities have been recorded on the Big Island’s public roadways this year. By this time in 2021, 26 people had died.