DWI Hit Parade!

From CBS7 KOSA
Odessa, TX  (July 8, 2011) — Three people are injured when their car is pushed in front of an oncoming train.
Now police say the driver of the vehicle who caused the crash may have been intoxicated.
“I would hate to be in a person’s position being pushed into the path of a train by a person who is allegedly intoxicated,” said Charles Hodges with Stop DWI, Inc.
That’s what happened to 28-year old Carmen Carreon, 27-year old Estrella Ronquillo and her 1-year-old daughter. They were sitting at a railroad crossing following the rules of the road, when 37-year-old Steven Vance Lane barreled into the back of their car.
The passenger vehicle carrying the two women and baby were stopped at 2nd and Dixie watching a Union Pacific train cross the tracks, that’s when Lane came from behind and rear-ended them with his pick up truck, sending both vehicles colliding with the train. ….MORE

Preliminary Results Show 50 Arrested for DUI July 4^th Weekend
Dover (July 8, 2011) –  Despite widespread awareness about sobriety checkpoints & patrols planned for the 4^th of July holiday weekend, preliminary results show fifty (50) people were arrested for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) of alcohol and/or drugs during the inaugural weekend of the 2011 Checkpoint Strikeforce DUI prevention campaign.  Officers statewide conducted three sobriety checkpoints and over 140 DUI saturation patrols during the Fourth of July DUI crackdown in locations all across the state.  Checkpoints were held in the City ofWilmington,Dover, and Magnolia.   
In addition to the checkpoint DUI arrests, officers issued 7 citations for underage drinking violations, recovered one stolen vehicle, seized 4 weapons, apprehended 22 wanted individuals, made 14 drug arrests, 8 felony arrests, issued 50 seat belt citations, and 425 citations for various other traffic violations. 
One checkpoint and two patrols are scheduled to take place the weekend of July 9th.   They are scheduled for:

  Friday July 8th –   Newport-(NCCo DUI Task Force)- checkpoint

                                           Clayton (Clayton PD)- patrols

            Saturday July 9^th –   Smyrna (Smyrna PD)- patrols

 Checkpoint Strikeforce is a regional sobriety checkpoint campaign aimed at arresting DUI offenders, and using high visibility enforcement to deter those who would otherwise choose to drink and drive.  The campaign, a six month long effort running through New Year’s Eve, involves setting up weekly DUI checkpoints statewide.
For more information on Checkpoint Strikeforce visit www.ohs.delaware.gov and follow regular campaign updates on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DEHighwaySafe  and Facebook www.facebook.com/ArriveAliveDE.

From StarPress
HARTFORD CITY — A Hartford City man who caused the July 2005 death of an infant while driving under the influence of marijuana has been accused of drug-impaired driving again.
Justin M. Wrightsman, 29, 120 E. North St., was arrested April 15 by Hartford City officers who pulled his vehicle over at VanCleve and Walnut streets after it first crossed the center line and then struck a curb.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Wrightsman “appeared to be disoriented or intoxicated,” and said he had ingested prescription medication used as a sleep aid a short time earlier while driving on Interstate 69. ….MORE

From Nola.com
A New Orleans police officer was arrested in Mid-City early Wednesday for driving while intoxicated.
William Torres, an eight-year veteran who was off-duty during the arrest, was placed on emergency suspension without pay pending the outcome of an investigation relative to driving while intoxicated, Superintendent Ronal Serpas said in a statement.
Torres, who is assigned to the department’s 4th District, which covers Algiers, was arrested about 2:30 a.m. at the intersection of Iberville Street and North Jefferson Davis Parkway.
“There is a strict policy in this organization for officers to adhere to the law,” Serpas said. “Criminal allegations are serious and there is zero tolerance for such misconduct. When an officer betrays the public’s trust, decisive actions will be taken.” ….MORE

From KOB
KOB has uncovered a boy was in the pick-up truck driven by an off-duty State Police officer charged with aggravated drunk driving. The fact a child was in the vehicle was never included in charging documents or other court paperwork.
KOB reported Officer Daniel Barde was charged with aggravated drunk driving and an open container after he was pulled over near Belen Tuesday. Reports say Barde “performed poorly” on field sobriety tests and also had an open bottle of Jim Beam in his pick-up truck.
State Police confirm to KOB there was a boy in Barde’s vehicle. Spokesperson Tim Johnson said the charging officer may not have included the child in the report because the Valencia County District Attorney’s Office decided not to pursue child endangerment charges. ….MORE

From TwinCities.com
Prosecutors are using a days-old Minnesota law to charge a Rochester man with driving under the influence of synthetic “bath salts.”
Michael Allan Andrist, who already has 10 DWI convictions, was arrested Sunday night on U.S. 52 near Rosemount after driving erratically and fleeing police while on the designer drug, prosecutors said.
Bath salts are stimulant drugs made to mimic cocaine, methamphetamines and Ecstasy, and growing concerns about their use and that of other synthetic drugs prompted the law that took effect Friday…..MORE