A multi-jurisdictional sobriety checkpoint was conducted by the St. Louis County, St. John, and Overland Police Departments, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol on Friday, October 23, 2009 on Interstate 170 near Lackland Road. The interstate was reduced to two lanes and over forty police officers and troopers checked motorists in an effort to apprehend intoxicated drivers. The four agencies arrested 20 suspected DWI offenders, and made other arrests for drug and weapons violations, warrants and one arrest for Endangering the Welfare of a Child. MODOT participated in the checkpoint and provided a safe work zone for the officers and motorists. The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's office also participated in the checkpoint. An Assistant Prosecuting Attorney was on-duty at his office and provided two search warrants to obtain blood from drivers who had refused breath tests and were suspected of a felony DWI offense. When the search warrants were obtained, Gateway Ambulance paramedics, who were also participating in the checkpoint, drew the blood for the officers. Chief Tim Fitch stated, "All of the law enforcement agencies and other participants in this checkpoint want our citizens to be safe when they are on the roadways of St. Louis County. Our hope is that conducting routine sobriety checkpoints deters persons that have been drinking from getting behind the wheel. This particular checkpoint was a success and proves that we can conduct checkpoints on interstates with minimal delay to law-abiding motorists."
Media Relations Staff:
|