By Hank Russell
The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office has announced that there will be enhanced DWI patrols on the roads during the holiday season.
Deputy Sheriffs will be increasing their DWI patrols for the Christmas holiday through New Year’s Eve to ensure roadways remain safe as residents ring in the New Year. Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr. said its DWI Enforcement Team has made a record number of DWI arrests this year with 311 arrests to date. Included in the arrests so far are 48 aggravated DWI charges (the defendant had a blood alcohol content of .18 or higher), 16 arrests involving drivers with prior DWI convictions, 21 arrests involving impairment by drugs and two Leandra’s Law arrests.
“Our Deputy Sheriffs continue to do an incredible job patrolling for impaired drivers,” Toulon said. “They are closing the year strong with enhanced DWI enforcement during this critical time so we can all safely celebrate the holidays with friends and family.”
Leandra’s Law (the Child Passenger Protection Act) is a state law making it an automatic felony on the first offense to drive drunk with a person 15 or younger inside the vehicle. The law was named after 11-year-old Leandra Rosado, who was killed on the Henry Hudson Parkway on October 11, 2009, when she was a passenger in a car driven by an intoxicated driver.
Last weekend alone, the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office arrested eleven drivers from impaired driving and will continue being on patrol during the holiday season – including checkpoints with partner agencies.