Sobriety Checkpoint Thursday Will Honor Fallen Officer

The Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) has announced that it will conduct a sobriety checkpoint tonight, from about 10 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Friday, in memory of fallen Officer Noah Leotta.

On the night of Dec. 3, 2015, Officer Leotta was working as a member of the annual Holiday Alcohol Task Force, a team of officers devoted to detecting alcohol-related offenses. He was conducting a traffic stop on Rockville Pike when he was struck by a drunk driver. On Dec. 10, Leotta succumbed to injuries sustained in that collision.

As a result of the accident, Maryland's legislature this year passed Noah's Law, which tightens restrictions on motorists who have been convicted of drunk driving. And the Hooter's restaurant on Rockville Pike announced in July that it will close its doors on Nov. 1. The restaurant had served alcoholic drinks to the motorist who later struck Leotta.

This evening, officers from the Gaithersburg Police Department, the Rockville City Police Department, the Maryland-National Capital Park Police Department and deputy sheriffs from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office will also participate in the sobriety checkpoint. The MCPD does not announce the location of sobriety checkpoints in advance.

Maryland State Police troopers will support these efforts by conducting a separate sobriety checkpoint at another location in Montgomery County.

On Oct. 1, Noah’s Law will become effective in Maryland. It expands the state's ignition interlock program and increases driver license suspension periods for individuals arrested for impaired driving, according to the MCPD.

Prior to the start of tonight's sobriety checkpoint, officers will attend a roll call where they will be addressed by Noah Leotta’s father, Rich Leotta, and MCPD Chief Tom Manger, as well as Capt. Tom Didone, director of the MCPD Traffic Division, and a representative from Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Washington Regional Alcohol Program.

Drivers who pass through this sobriety checkpoint will receive cards that include Officer Leotta’s photograph and contain a message reminding drivers of the importance of always making a plan to have a safe and sober ride. These cards also bring to life the dangerous and deadly consequences of impaired driving.

Release: MCPD