http://somd.com/news/headlines/2011/13456.shtml

PIKESVILLE, Md. (March 18, 2011) – Maryland state troopers issued thousands of citations and warnings, arrested more DUI drivers than on the same day last year, and made numerous felony and warrant arrests yesterday during an intense traffic enforcement campaign across the state.

Troopers at each of the 22 Maryland State Police barracks were assigned to special drunk driving saturation patrols to supplement the regular patrol troopers who were also on the alert for increased numbers of drunk drivers. Statewide, troopers arrested 69 drunk drivers, compared with 42 arrested on St. Patrick’s Day 2010. The most DUI arrests were made by troopers at the JFK Highway Barracks, who patrol I-95 from the Baltimore City line north to Delaware. Troopers there arrested nine drunk drivers.

Troopers also issued approximately 1,800 traffic citations and 1,900 warnings for a variety of traffic violations. Troopers made 13 drug arrests, 13 arrests for other criminal offenses, and arrested 26 people wanted on warrants.

Troopers at the Golden Ring Barrack conducted a focused enforcement campaign on I-83 from Baltimore City to the Pennsylvania state line in response to several recent serious crashes and numerous complaints of aggressive driving. Troopers on I-83 issued 120 traffic citations, 192 warnings, and made four warrant arrests. Troopers from the Golden Ring Barrack made a total of six drunk driving arrests yesterday, as did troopers at the Bel Air Barrack and Hagerstown Barrack.

Troopers in the Washington Metro Troop conducted another Operation Centipede patrol around the Capital Beltway. Troopers there issued 185 traffic citations and 113 warnings. They made eight drunk driving arrests, three felony drug arrests and three warrant arrests.

There were no fatal traffic crashes investigated by members of the Maryland State Police yesterday. Overtime funding for additional patrols was provided by grants from the Maryland Highway Safety Office. Additional enforcement efforts will continue throughout the weekend.

http://www.abc6onyourside.com/shared/newsroom/top_stories/videos/wsyx_vid_9876.shtml

HILLIARD, Ohio — Stepped up DUI checkpoints for St. Patrick’s Day netted seven arrests for drunk-driving, the Franklin County DUI Task Force reported Friday.

The Franklin County DUI Task including the Hilliard Police Department, Gahanna Police Department, OSU Police Department, Sharon Township Police, Perry Township Police, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio Highway Patrol and Columbus Division of Police, conducted two low-man sobriety checkpoints on St. Patrick’s Day, in the Hilliard area.

One of the checkpoints was held on Cemetery Road west of Leap Road and the other was on Hilliard-Rome Road south of Roberts Road.  Both checkpoints were in operation from 9:00pm on Thursday March 17th until 3 a.m. on March 18.

The results are as followed:

1188 Total Vehicles Checked – 727
Total Vehicles Diverted – 64
DUI Arrests Made – 7
Total Number of Citations Issued – 30
Driver License Violations – 20
Other Citations Issued – 3
Underage Alcohol Consumption – 0
Felony Arrests – 0
Traffic Warnings Issued – 34
Vehicles Impounded – 13

http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/news/4419747-418/police-blotter-dui-arrests.html

Laura A. Literski: 47, of Joliet, was arrested on charges of DUI and improper lane usage.

Keri A. Andrews: 42, of Morris, was arrested on charges of driving while under the influence, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, resisting a peace officer and endangering the life of a child.

Christopher R. Comeau: 28, of Royalton, arrested on charges of driving while under the influence, driving while license suspended, unsafe equipment and disobeying a posted speed limit sign.

Steven E. Blogg: 50, of Essex, was arrested on a charge of driving while license suspended.

John T. Chesnut: 23, of Mazon, was arrested on a charge of speeding when more than 40 mph or posted speed limit.

Michelle S. Henderson: 30, of Gardner, was arrested on a charge driving without a valid license.

Darryl K. Murray: 28, was arrested on a LaSalle County warrant on a charge of failure to appear on a driving while license suspended charge.

Juan A. Jaramillo: 48, was arrested on a contempt of court charge.

Richard L. Moody: 29, was arrested on a charge of failure to appear on an unlawful possession of cannabis charge.

Daniel J. Houchin: 22, was arrested on a charge of driving while under the influence.

Joseph A. Todd: 37, was arrested on a charge of failure to appear on a driving while under the influence charge.

Morris

Justin Anthony Gray: 26, of Morris, was arrested on a charge of criminal damage to property .

Juan C. Mogollon-Mendoza: 26, was Morris, arrested on an in-state warrant.

Leonard M. Wojtak: 39, was arrested on an in-state warrant.

Oscar Reta: 24, was arrested on a charge of violation of order of protection.

Kris Schomig: 27, was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol.

Jacquailia R. Smith: 22, of Carbondale, was arrested on charges of driving while license suspended, expired registration and unlawful display of registration.

James V. Cohn: 47, of Morris, was arrested on charges of driving while license suspended, operating an uninsured vehicle and registration/plates suspended.

Stephanie N. Matteson: 20, of Seneca, was arrested on charges of possession of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Benjamin P. Odell: 50, of Morris, was arrested on charges of driving while under the influence and improper lane usage.

Lauren M. Gliwa: 24, of Dwight, was arrested on a charge of possession of cannabis.

Jacob J. Mascolo: 19, of Gardner, was arrested on charges of possession of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia.

John M. Savoree: 22, of Newark, was arrested on charges of driving while under the influence and improper lane usage.

Jeremy M. Goldsberry: 18, of Morris, was arrested on charges of unlawful possession of cannabis, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and no valid driver’s license.

Ryan C. Young: 21, was arrested on a Grundy County warrant on a charge of failure to appear on a driving while license suspended charge.

Antione J. Mackey: 32, was arrested on charges of failure to appear on a driving while license suspended, a Logan County driving while license suspended charge and a McLean County failure to appear on a driving while under the influence charge.

Shaine J. Katro: 28, was arrested on charges of failure to appear on an unlawful possession of cannabis charge.

Jack R. McMillan Jr.:  36, was arrested on a Grundy County warrant on charges of failure to appear on violation of probation and unlawful possession of a controlled substance charges.

Justin L. Hischke: 23, was arrested on a charge of failure to appear on a disorderly conduct charge.

Amy J. Welka: 39, was arrested on a charge of failure to appear on a contempt of court charge.

Roy Swisher: 37, was arrested on a Will County warrant.

Homer R. Sharp: 28, was arrested for failure to appear in Will County for a charge of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and failure to appear in Montgomery County for a charge of driving while under the influence.

Joseph A. Todd: 37, of Morris, was arrested on a Grundy County warrant on a charge of failure to appear.

Patrick D. Ryan: 30, of Morris, was arrested on a charge of driving while license suspended.

Janice M. Dickison: 33, of Morris, turned herself in on a Grundy County warrant for a charge of failure to appear on a contempt of court charge.

Forrest J. Durancik: 18, of Braceville, was arrested on charges of possession of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Daniel J. Houchin: 22, of Minooka, was arrested on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.

Tammy M. Haas: 28, of Morris, turned herself in on a Grundy County warrant on a charge of failure to appear on a driving while license suspended charge.

Jose A. Acevedo-Iemus: 27, was arrested on a charge of resisting or obstructing a peace officer.

Criminal damage to property: A 16-year-old male was arrested on a charge of criminal damage to property.

Drug equipment possession: A 17-year-old male was arrested on a charge of possession of drug equipment.

Curfew violation: A 15-year-old male was arrested on a charge of violating Morris curfew.

Channahon

Bill C. Flatness: 31, of Arkansas, was arrested and charged on an outstanding warrant out of Will County March 12.

Cassandra M. VanTassel: 33, of Channahon, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, improper lane usage and operation of an uninsured vehicle March 13.

Ryan J. Verdone: 18, of Channahon, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, driving under the influence of drugs and improper lane usage March 16. In same incident, Cody P. Southerland, 19, of Channahon, was cited for possession of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Minooka

Mamie Richardson: 26, of Minooka, was arrested and charged on two Wisconsin warrants on March 11.

Charles P. Davis: 27, of Minooka, was arrested and charged with driving while license suspended March 11.

Holly Ann Longfellow: 33, of Eureka, CA, and Bradley Alan Teis, 33, of San Francisco, were arrested and charged with possession of cannabis and possession of cannabis with intent to deliver on March 11.

Luis David Lopez: 24, of Minooka, was arrested and charged on an in state warrant on March 12.

Jason D. Smith: 33, of Minooka, was arrested and charged on an in-state warrant on March 12.

Juan A. Silvar: 31, of Plainfield, was arrested and charged for driving without a license and speeding on March 12.

Samuel K. Miranda: 18, of Minooka, was arrested and charged with driving while license suspended March 13.

Jennifer N. Tait: 28, of Shorewood, was arrested and charged with driving while license suspended on March 13.

Jaime Avila Canchola: 36, of Minooka, was arrested and charged with driving while license suspended on March 16.

Gail M. Hamilton: 42, of Minooka, was arrested and charged with driving while license suspended/revoked on March 17.

James E. Henderson: 45, of Gardner, was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance and driving while license suspended on March 17.

Artemus Devereux Yates: 43, of Joliet, was arrested and charged on an instate warrant out of Kendall County on March 17.

Paula J. Henderson: 51, of Minooka, was arrested and charged with endangering the life or health of a child, failure to properly secure a child in appropriate restraint, DUI and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia on March 17.

Robert L. Hutchins: 42, of Chicago, was arrested and charged with driving while license suspended on March 17.

Fabian Aguilera: of Minooka, was arrested and charged with possession of cannabis and driving under the influence of drugs on March 18.

Michael Mackins: of Sauk Village, was arrested and charged for driving while license revoked and on an in-state warrant on March 14.

Wilmington

Alysia M. Runnels: 19, of Wilmington, was arrested March 8 and charged with possession of cannabis, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug equipment and sale/or possession of hypodermic syringes.

Dave D. Vadeboncoeur: 23, of Wilmington, was arrested March 8 and charged with no valid driver’s license, operation of an uninsured motor vehicle and possession of a controlled substance.

Joshua C. Drews: 21, of Wilmington, was arrested March 11 and charged with other moving violations, no front plate, possession of cannabis, and driving on a suspended driver’s license.

Scott J. Ritter: 35, of Coal City, was arrested March 12 and charged with driving on a revoked driver’s license.

David Brian Carlson: 47, of Crest Hill, was arrested March 12 and charged with driver and passenger safety belt violations and was also arrested on a warrant from DuPage County.

Gerald D. White Sr.: 51, of Wilmington, was arrested March 13 and charged with aggravated assault and possession of cannabis.

http://www.coloradoconnection.com/news/story.aspx?id=595079

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. — The Colorado Springs Police Department said an early morning DUI traffic accident has left four people with moderate to severe injuries.

Officers were called to the 1400 block of Marjorie Lee Dr. just after 1:00 a.m. for a single car rollover accident.

Investigators said the driver of the car was going around 30 mph when he took a curve to fast and struck a group of large boulders causing the vehicle to flip.

They said there were six people inside the car, including the driver’s 10-year-old son.

Four of the passengers were taken to Memorial Hospital by ambulance for their injuries, which included a broken arm, dislocated shoulder and brain bleed.

According to medical personnel, the driver’s brother may lose the use of his right arm as a result of his injuries.

Police said the driver, 26-year-old Abel Trujillo, was uninjured and later transported to the El Paso County Criminal Justice Center on three counts of vehicular assault, DUI, and other charges.

They said approximately two ounces of marijuana was also recovered from the vehicle.

http://bowie.patch.com/articles/dont-let-your-luck-run-out-this-st-patricks-day

As with any major holiday where alcohol is a mainstay, the fun of drunken St. Patrick’s Day festivities comes with a level of responsibility. Police from all jurisdictions are stepping up patrols and will be on the lookout for those who shouldn’t be behind the wheel.

In Bowie, Chief John Nesky says that the department will also be on the look out for intoxicated drivers.

“While we will not be conducting any specific DUI checkpoints, we will have additional units conducting saturation patrols looking for impaired drivers,” he said.

If you’re planning on spending the Irish holiday at Bowie’s only Irish Pub—Old Bowie Town Grille—Beltway Transportation will provide free pick-up and drop-off services.

Starting at 5:30 p.m. area residents can call the restaurant to be placed on a queue to be picked up from their home. At the end of the night’s celebrations, patrons will also be provided a ride home.

Here are some other departments in the region that will be running checkpoints and increased patrols tomorrow night:

Greenbelt Police Department
Increased patrol from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. Focus will be on state highways (Kenilworth Ave. and Greenbelt Road), which are the major access roads to the bars located in the city.

Maryland State Police
(Forestville and College Park barracks) Increased patrol from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. – Operation Centipede will focus on impaired and aggressive drivers on the DC Beltway.

Prince Georges’ County Police Department
Increased patrols and sobriety checkpoints 5 p.m. – 3 a.m. – Location unknown

Anne Arundel County Police Department
DUI checkpoint from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. – Locations unknown

Here are some tips for planning a safe night of celebrating from the State Highway Administration:

• Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin
• Before drinking, designate a sober driver and give that person your keys
• If you’re impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation so you are sure to get home safely
• Utilize Baltimore’s free Tipsy? Taxi! service or DC’s Sober Ride program; more information can be found
• If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact your local law enforcement by calling 911 or #77
• If you know anyone who is about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely

“We’re pleased to have the education and outreach support that SHA brings to the table for this historically dangerous weekend,” said Sheriff Gery Hofmann, President of the Maryland Sheriff’s Association.  “For those who think they have the luck of the Irish on their side, if you decide to drive drunk, you’ll learn firsthand that our education responsibilities come in the form of handcuffs and jail time.”

-For the first conviction , or first conviction in over five years, your license will be suspended for 30 days followed by a 60 day suspension if a hardship license is not  obtained.

-A second conviction results in a $1,000 fine, a yearlong revocation of your license and up to a year in jail. You will also be required to install an ignition interlock system on your vehicle, preventing your car from starting when you have alcohol on your breath.

-Third and subsequent convictions can be penalized with up to a $5,000 fine, a 10 year license denial, and/or up to seven years in jail.

-If you cause a fatal crash while DUI , you could be charged with Involuntary manslaughter, a felon resulting in up to seven years of jail time, a $5,000 fine or both.

 -Insurance coverage will be difficult to find and if you do the rates will be significantly higher

http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20110316/BLOGS01/110319643

Huntington County – The Fort Wayne District of the Indiana State Police will be conducting a DUI  checkpoint in Huntington County during the late night hours of Saturday, March 19th and running into the early morning hours of Sunday, March 20th.

In an effort to reduce the number of alcohol-related automobile crashes, the DUI  checkpoint will target the impaired driver and will be utilized in an area identified as having a high number of alcohol related crashes.

Sergeant Tom Matheny is reminding motorists to have their driver’s license and vehicle registrations readily available when entering the checkpoint, so as to minimize the amount of time that they are delayed. Matheny also offers the following tips:

•Plan ahead and always designate someone as a designated driver.

•Don’t get behind the wheel of a vehicle if you’ve been consuming alcoholic beverages.

•If you are impaired, please call a taxi or call a sober friend or family member to come and get you.

•If you are hosting a party, always offer alcohol-free beverages, and make sure that all of your guests leave with a sober driver.

•Remember, Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk. Take the keys and never let a friend leave your sight if you think that they are about to drive while impaired.

http://www.whec.com/news/stories/S2020576.shtml?cat=566

State Police are stepping up patrols during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday to ensure the roads are safe for everyone.

Police say they have planned DUI sobriety checkpoints and DUI roving patrols at various locations starting March 17 and lasting through March 20.

The State Police encourage all those who will be traveling to drive safety and drink responsibly.

http://www.cantonrep.com/newsnow/x1777812574/Sobriety-checkpoint-planned-for-St-Patrick-s-Day

Stark County law officers are planning to do their part to deter DUI  driving — or at least nip it in the bud — on St. Patrick’s Day by catching impaired drivers.

Deputies and other members of the DUI  Task Force plan to conduct a roadside sobriety check Thursday in Canton Township, said Chief Deputy Rick Perez of the Stark County Sheriff’s Department. The exact location and hours of operation won’t be announced until just prior to the event.

“It is our intent to inform people that officers will be vigilant in detecting and apprehending impaired drivers,” he said Wednesday. “We want to impress upon those who will be consuming alcohol to plan for a designated driver or to make other arrangements.”

http://www.douglasdispatch.com/articles/2011/03/16/news/doc4d812e8262092377386638.txt

With the funding assistance of the Governors Office of Highway Safety and in an effort to reinforce the seriousness of drinking and driving, Sheriff Larry Dever announces the deployment of the Southeastern Arizona DUI  Task Force in Cochise County during the Spring Break Week March 13 through March 19, 2011.The task force with be conducting saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints throughout Cochise County. Beginning with this public service announcement and continuing thorough the increased patrols, efforts will be made to deter the impaired driver and reduce alcohol-related collisions in hopes of saving lives.

Officers from participating local, county, and state law enforcement agencies will be working in concert to make our citizens safer and protect them from the dangers of  DUI drivers.

Sheriff Dever reminds anyone who drinks to not drive. We are striving to relate that our best measure of success is seeing the reduction and ultimately the elimination of alcohol related injury and fatality incidents