Ocean County Prosecutor Ramps Up DWI Checkpoints On Route 35 In Point Beach This Weekend

You've been warned.

The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office will conduct a special DWI/traffic checkpoint along Route 35 over this weekend, just in time for the busy summer travel season.

“The tremendous added volume of summer shore vehicle and pedestrian traffic calls for increased vigilance by law enforcement, and that will be the focus over this coming weekend," Coronato said. "We ask that drivers do their part by driving responsibly and making smart choices behind the wheel every day of the year".

The program will help support local DWI enforcement. Two Drug Recognition experts will also be at each checkpoint to detect those under the influence of narcotics.

The county oversees a countywide call-out system for DRE’s to help local law enforcement conduct evaluations of driver suspected of using drugs.

"Inattentive and aggressive drivers are always targets of law enforcements’ regular patrols, the purpose of this effort is to detect, educate, deter, arrest, and vigorously prosecute impaired drivers, while also making Ocean County roads safer for the added pedestrian traffic," Coronato said.

Last year 45 people died on Ocean County roads. So far, there have been 26 roadway fatalities in the county, he said.

The checkpoint program is funded by the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety. It will be conducted by local police agencies and detectives from the Prosecutor's Office and the Ocean County Sheriff's Department's K-9 unit. The program is coordinated by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Vehicular Homicide Unit under the direction of Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Michael Weatherstone.

Image: Patch file photo.