DUI roadblock 02-23-07

HAWAII POLICE DEPARTMENT
TRAFFIC SERVICES SECTION
SERGEANT DEXTER VERIATO
PHONE: 961-2305
FEBRUARY 23, 2007

Passersby Steven Martines, Ikaika Mahi and Sade Bell join
in sign-waving efforts at a DUI checkpoint.

MEDIA RELEASE

A high visibility, public awareness DUI roadblock took place on Sunday, February 18, at the entrance to Waikoloa Village.

While police officers screened drivers, civilians waved signs with sober driving messages, distributed informational flyers and rewarded drivers with bottled water, compliments of the Department of Liquor Control.  

The participants included family members of DUI victims, students from Hawaii Preparatory Academy’s "Students Against Destructive Decisions" (SADD), and Hawaii Community College’s "University Mothers Against Drunk Driving" (UMADD) chapter, as well as members of the general public.

Theresa "Gigi" Macion, a MADD victims’ advocate, lost two members of her family to DUI crashes. In 2001 her brother, Honolulu police officer Danny Padayao, was securing a crash site when he was struck by a drunk driver.

Nine weeks later, while Macion was still grieving over the loss of her brother, her sister, Miriam "Nani" Fernandez, was driving her family home to Waimea after a family reunion in Kona when she was hit head-on by a drunk driver who crossed the center line on Queen Kaahumanu Highway.

The afternoon roadblock event was dedicated to Padayao and Fernandez. Their surviving family members displayed photo posters of them.

This awareness campaign motivated some passersby to stop and join the sign-waving efforts. Steven Martines, Ikaika Mahi, Sade Bell and Brancy Juan live and work in the community and have experienced the loss of friends and co-workers because of impaired driving. The roadblocks provided them an opportunity to promote sober driving to help prevent future tragedies.

Police screened more than 480 vehicles at this event.

The Hawaii Police Department conducts DUI roadblocks every week throughout the island as part of the state’s "52/12" enforcement campaign to combat drunk driving.

# # #


This entry was posted in Media Releases. Bookmark the permalink. Both comments and trackbacks are currently closed.
  • Keep your community safe through Crime Stoppers

    Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the island-wide Crime Stoppers number at 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.00. Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program run by ordinary citizens who want to keep their community safe. Crime Stoppers does not record calls or subscribe to any Caller ID service. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.

    The Crime Stoppers TV Program is available on-demand from Nā Leo TV.