Gwinnett Police Checkpoint Honors Fallen Colleague

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA -- What may have looked to motorists like a typical police checkpoint Saturday was something more for the officers conducting it. It was a way to honor a colleague killed in the line of duty.

The annual Chris Magill Traffic Detail brought together officers from Gwinnett County Police, Lilburn Police, Suwanee Police, Duluth Police, the Georgia State Patrol and the Gwinnett County Sheriff's office.

Magill was a Gwinnett police officer killed on May 23, 1993, when he was hit by a drunk driver during a traffic stop on Interstate 85 near Jimmy Carter Boulevard.

Each year, at about this time, officers return to that area to crack down on the kind of behavior that lead to Magill's death.

After hearing from Magill's children at their roll call, officers began the night with a rolling "Move Over" detail on Interstate 85, focusing on Georgia's law that requires motorists to move over for stopped emergency vehicles and tow trucks.

The detail spanned from the Barrow County line to the DeKalb County line, and resulted in multiple stops for speeding, seatbelt violations, texting while driving and other infractions.

The night culminated in a checkpoint on Jimmy Carter Boulevard and Live Oak Parkway. Numerous arrests were made and several people with outstanding warrants were captured, police say.

One motorist, who police would learn had a sawed-off shotgun in his car, was stopped after trying to avoid the checkpoint. He ran away, but was tracked by K9 units and taken into custody shortly afterward.

In all, police say, the 2016 Officer Chris Magill Traffic Detail resulted in:

• Traffic stops: 175
• DUI arrests: 12
• Suspended license: 8
• No license: 3
• Speeding: 24
• Drug possession: 1
• "Move Over" citations: 52
• Other citations: 81
• Total arrests: 30