13 arrested on Maui for impaired driving over the New Year’s holiday weekend

The Maui Police Department issued four citations and made 13 arrests for Operating a Vehicle Under the Influence of an Intoxicant during the New Year’s holiday impaired driving enforcement campaign.

Police screened a total of 1,034 vehicles at seven separate intoxication checkpoints during the holiday weekend from Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021 to Jan. 2, 2022.

There were also two traffic fatalities over the holiday weekend, from traffic crashes in Lahaina and Wailuku.

At the close of calendar year 2021, Maui police made 628 OVUII arrests with 21 Habitually OVUII incidents for a total of 649 total year-to-date arrests, compared to 504 in calendar year 2020. This marks a 28% increase.

In 2021 Maui County had 16 fatal motor vehicle crashes, compared to 11 in 2020, marking a 45% increase. Police say 62% of all the fatal motor vehicle crashes involved drugs/alcohol and speeding.

Maui Police Lieutenant William Hankins, commander of the Traffic Division said, “The public can expect impaired driving checkpoints as well as saturation patrols, and speeding campaigns to continue throughout the year. We will do everything in our power to stop speeding and impaired drivers from selfishly injuring or killing innocent victims. We need our community to understand: It is up to them to make the smart decision to slow down and drive sober. Together we can help put an end to these senseless avoidable injuries and deaths that have occurred on our roadways.”

The police department encourages the public to report suspected incidents of drunk or impaired driving.

“You could help save a life. We humbly request the public’s help. Your support is critical to helping us make our roads safer and stopping preventable impaired driving deaths from occurring,” police said.