Alcohol helps 3,534 drivers celebrate new years in jail
Sarah Evans
At the close of every year, cops prepare for a busy night of celebrating citizens and possible danger. Drinking and driving is a concern on New Year’s, and this year task force was ready.Over 3,500 arrests were made in Ariz. this holiday season related to impaired driving. Officer Edward Connelly stated that task force vans would be stationed to ensure that drunk drivers are easily dealt with on New Year’s.
“They put up DUI task force road blocks; they put extra officers on the street just for DUI purposes,” Connelly stated.
The number of drunk drivers on the road at New Year’s was higher than on a normal night and task sets up an outside station where drivers are taken who do not pass field sobriety tests.
“(Drunk drivers) are taken to the DUI task force, and they have vans set up that are renovated into. a blood lab. If they are cooperative usually they get a ticket with their court date,” Connelly said.
Kathleen Carey, a DUI attorney, stated that more serious action is taken on those who commit felonies.
“Very few individuals are kept, they are almost all processed right at the DUI van or substations and released that night,”
The exceptions are for felony DUI’s: kids in the car, aggravated DUI with a suspended drivers license, bad wrecks with injuries, hit and runs, and refusals or folks that may have had drugs found in their car or on their person,” Carey said.
Precautions like these are taken to make a statement about the dangers of driving drunk, especially at times of celebration.
AAA stated that a first-time DUI conviction can cost more than $10,000 in fines, penalties, restitution, ignition interlock fees, legal fees and increased insurance costs.
