OVI sobriety checkpoint results released

Checkpoints, increased patrols planned across region for Fourth of July

Local law enforcement agencies conducted multiple OVI checkpoints in Montgomery County as part of the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

The Dayton Police Department had two sobriety checkpoints on Saturday. The first began at 6:30 p.m. in the 2300 block of Stanley Avenue and the second one occurred at 1400 block of Wayne Avenue and concluded at 11:30 p.m.

The first checkpoint was in the area of Stanley at Troy Street and went from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

In total, 234 vehicles passed through the first checkpoint.

Out of those vehicles, 31 were diverted by law enforcement with one person tested for an OVI, zero people arrested for an OVI and 14 suspensions found. It was also discovered 18 people drove without a. driver’s license, four adults were found to be wearing no seatbelts and zero children and passengers were found to be wearing no seatbelts.

No warrants were served.

The second occurred in the area of Wayne at Wyoming Street and went from 9:30 to 11:30 p.m.

In total for Wayne at Wyoming, 275 vehicles went through the checkpoint. Officials diverted 19, two suspensions were found and seven people were found to be driving without a driver’s license. In addition, no adults were found to be wearing no seatbelts, one child was discovered to not have been wearing one and zero other passengers were found to be wearing no seatbelts.

No one was tested for OVIs and no arrests were made for anyone driving while intoxicated. No warrants were served as well.

State law requires law enforcement to announce the times and locations of checkpoints ahead of time.

Montgomery County Sheriff’s Capt. Andy Flagg said sobriety checkpoints are to help reinforce safe driving over the busy holiday.

“We don’t expect every driver behind the wheel that we make contact with this weekend to be impaired,” he said. “But we want them to know that we’re out there and we’re looking for impaired drivers.”

There also will be patrols around the OVI checkpoints, Flagg said.

On Friday, during the checkpoints, over 274 cars passed through the OVI checkpoints resulting in two citation for Driving Under Suspension and two citation for registration violation, according to a statement released Saturday morning. Another person was tested for possible impairment and four drove through the checkpoints without stopping and fled from deputies on saturation patrol, police said.

Checkpoint locations are chosen based on statistical data. Last year, the sheriff’s office made 40 arrests for impaired driving at or near the proposed checkpoint location in 2022, according to deputies.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol also will be cracking down on impaired drivers. During last year’s Fourth of July reporting period of July 1-4, there were 16 deadly crashes in the state that killed 16 people. Of those, 11 involved alcohol and/or drugs, according to the patrol.

The Miami County Sheriff’s Office will have a traffic enforcement blitz over the weekend and continuing through Tuesday.

Deputies will be working overtime with a primary focus on removing impaired drivers from the road and curbing other crash-causing behaviors.

“Statistically, the Fourth of July holiday period is one of the deadliest on our nation’s roadways with alcohol playing a large factor in many of the crashes,” Miami County Sheriff Dave Duchak said. “Deputies will be targeting Miami County roadways with high incidents of crashes and OVI arrests.”