DUI Wolf Pack Set For Sarasota, Manatee Counties

BRADENTON, FL — Motorists with big party plans over the 4th of July weekend will want to think twice before getting behind the wheel impaired. The Florida Highway Patrol has announced plans to hit the roads in several area counties for a DUI Wolfpack operation.

Troopers say the operation will include Manatee, Sarasota, Desoto, Highlands and Hardee counties. The enhanced enforcement effort is set to get under way on Saturday, July 1 at 9 p.m. It runs through 5 a.m. Sunday.

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The patrol isn’t saying exactly where its troopers will be, but says the operation will “focus on Interstate 75 and major state and county roadways” in the coverage area.

“The Florida Highway Patrol organizes such details to proactively remove impaired drivers from the roadways and ultimately enhance the safety of the motoring public,” an email from the agency said. “Troopers conducting the detail will be mobile while monitoring traffic to maximize their visibility and effectiveness in removing impaired drivers from the roadways.”

Florida law considers motorists age 21 and up impaired if they have blood alcohol contents of 0.08 or higher. Underage drivers are considered legally impaired with BACs of 0.02 or higher.

As the holiday weekend gets under way, AAA Auto Club South has also announced an extended run for its free Tow To Go service. To find out more about this alternative for getting home safely, check out this related story: Tow To Go Revs Up For 4th Of July 2017.

Law enforcement agencies in nearby Pinellas County are teaming up for a similar operation on Friday, June 30.

The highway patrol asks motorists who spot aggressive or impaired drivers to pull over to a safe area and contact troopers by calling *FHP from their cellphones.

Photo courtesy of the Florida Highway Patrol