Three Arrested In NHSP Sobriety Checkpoint

NEW HAMPTON, NH — The New Hampshire State Police along with the New Hampton Police Department held at sobriety checkpoint on Route 104 in New Hampton on Saturday night in the area of the Route 104 Diner, according to a press statement. The checkpoint was approved in early June by the Belknap County Superior Court. According to Staff Sgt. Victor Muzzey, 278 vehicles were stopped and screened.

During the course of the checkpoint, which was held between 10 p.m. and 2 p.m. on June 17, 2017, 22 drivers submitted to voluntary field sobriety testing. Three people were arrested for driving under the influence: Michael Larocque, 53, of Derry; Bennett Ricketson, 33, of Milton, NY, and Cheryl Gonzalo, 49, of Franklin.

Editor’s Note: This post was derived from information supplied by the New Hampshire State Police. It does not indicate a conviction. This link explains the name removal request process for NH Patch police reports.

All three were arrested without incident, released on bail, and are due in Laconia District Court on June 29.

Two other drivers were cited for operating without a valid license, according to Muzzey.

“The New Hampshire State Police is committed to taking an aggressive stance in utilizing sobriety checkpoints as a tool to deter and arrest intoxicated drivers,” Muzzey said in a statement. “New Hampshire has some of the most aggressive laws in the country to fight the intoxicated driver and we are dedicated to using those tools to ensure safe travel throughout the state.”

File photo by Brian Blackden.