37 DUI Arrests Made In Eighth Round Of Alcohol Crackdown

BETHESDA, MD — Police across Montgomery County arrested 37 people with driving under the influence during the eighth and final weekend of the county's alcohol holiday task force, authorities said. That brings the total number of DUI arrests to 323 over an eight-week enforcement period.

The Montgomery County Police Alcohol Holiday Task Force, which cracks down on alcohol-related offenses, began its work Nov. 14, 2018. The enforcement period ended on Jan. 5, 2019. The task force consists of Montgomery County Police, Rockville City Police, Maryland National Capital Park Police, Gaithersburg Police, Takoma Park Police, and Maryland state troopers.

Efforts to prevent drunk drivers during the holiday season included the following measures: enforcing sobriety checkpoints, ticketing the hosts of underage drinking parties, and conducting compliance checks on businesses that sell alcohol.

Montgomery County Police said that from Dec. 31, 2018 to Jan. 5, 2019, they arrested 37 people for driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

In 2015, Montgomery County Police Officer Noah Leotta was killed when he was hit by a repeat drunk driver while working on the alcohol task force. As a result, state law now requires ignition interlocks to all drunken driving offenders in Maryland.

"Alex and Calvin's Law" was enacted after two Thomas Wootton High School graduates died in a crash following an underage party. Adults who host parties where alcohol is served to minors can now face jail time and a $5,000 fine.

The task force completed its work on Jan. 5, and focused on the following:

• Enforcing traffic laws in areas that have a high number of alcohol-related crashes
• Using underage volunteers to attempt to buy alcohol at businesses with liquor licenses
• Responding to calls about underage drinking parties, screening guests for alcohol, and issuing citations to people under 21
• Establishing sobriety checkpoints where drivers are most at risk for encountering impaired drivers
• Responding to reports of intoxicated people

To learn more about the task force and holiday safety tips, click here.

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