The Washington State Patrol has a simple message for people who plan to drink and drive on New Year’s Eve:
Don’t.
Police across Snohomish County plan to work overtime tonight and Sunday to pull over people who drive drunk or high as the new year approaches, Washington State Patrol trooper Kirk Rudeen said.
Troopers hope to repeat their Christmas crackdown, which ran from Dec. 21 to Monday, when they took 42 people suspected of driving impaired off the roads in Snohomish County and four in Island County.
“We want it known that we’re going to be out in force, and we’re going to be doing everything possible to arrest the impaired drivers and take them off the road,” Rudeen said. “There aren’t enough of us to get all of them, so we want people to be responsible.”
As of Wednesday night, troopers this month had arrested 184 people suspected of driving impaired in Snohomish County. In December 2005, the state patrol made 197 such arrests in the county.
Nearly 20 troopers are scheduled for duty Sunday night in the county. Police in Arlington, Everett, Edmonds, Lynnwood, Marysville and Mountlake Terrace plan to put extra officers on the road, too.
The Washington Traffic Safety Commission has paid for police to work more than 300 overtime hours since Dec. 1 as part of its annual Drive Hammered, Get Nailed campaign.
“It’s estimated that half of the traffic fatalities this weekend could be alcohol- or drug-related,” said Tracy McMillan, Snohomish County DUI Task Force coordinator. “That is why we have law enforcement in Snohomish County working overtime do this special traffic safety enforcement. They are working hard to keep our community safe.”
During the campaign, troopers have arrested 333 suspected drunken drivers in Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom and Island counties, Rudeen said.
There were four fatal accidents in the four counties over Christmas weekend. Investigators believe alcohol or drugs played a role in three of them, Rudeen said.
“Those are some pretty spectacular numbers,” he said.
Anyone planning on going out New Year’s Eve should plan on having a designated driver, Rudeen said. If none is available, people should be prepared to call a cab, a family member or a friend to come pick them up.
Otherwise, be prepared for a ride in a police car, Rudeen said.
“If you make that decision to drive while you’re impaired, we’re going to be out there, and we’re going to try to find you,” he said. “We’ll hold you accountable for that decision.”
Reporter Scott Pesznecker: 425-339-3436 or spesznecker@heraldnet.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
