More than 760 cars passed through the OVI checkpoint, with three citations issued for no operator’s license, one citation for expired registration, one seat belt violation and two drivers were tested for possible OVI, according to a release.
Through extra patrols during the checkpoint there were 11 traffic stops resulting in 10 citations for speed and two for no operator license.
“The overall goal of these operations is to educate the motoring public on the dangers associated with impaired driving and to identify and remove impaired drivers from our roadways,” the sheriff’s office said. “The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office encourages everyone to drink responsibly and help keep Montgomery County roadways safe this St. Patrick’s Day weekend.”
Law enforcement officers use statistics to determine the locations for OVI checkpoints, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Capt. Andy Flagg said.
So far this year, there have been nine OVI arrests at or near the location selected in Washington Twp., with one involving a crash, he said. In 2023 there were 30 OVI arrests in the area, including five crashes, and in 2022 there were 17 OVI arrests involving nine crashes.
Overall there 586 OVI-related crashes in 2022, which dropped to 513 last year, Flagg said.
There have been 88 OVI-related crashes so far this year.
In the past three years, there have been 85 fatal OVI-realated crashes and 513 that resulted in injury.
“We continue to see tragedy result from bad decisions,” Flagg said. “In this day and age we have many resources available — taxis, Uber and you always have your friends and family to help you make a better decision.”
It’s not that deputies don’t want people to have a ood time, they just want them to do it responsibly and in a way where everyone gets home safely, he added.