21 Arrested In St. Patrick's Weekend Impaired Driving Detail

DUTCHESS COUNTY, NY — A joint law enforcement effort to rein in impaired drivers during the St. Patrick's Day weekend led to 21 arrests.

The Dutchess County Sheriff's Office said the High Visibility Community Engagement campaign was held from March 16 to March 20.

The five-day effort resulted in the arrests of 21 persons for various DWI-related charges.

Funded by the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee and the NYS STOP-DWI Foundation, the details were designed to revitalize and enhance the visibility of the STOP-DWI Program through coordinated multi-agency enforcement.

William C. Johnson, the Dutchess County STOP-DWI coordinator, said the message of the program was clear.

"These preventable behaviors and choices which are a serious safety threat to everyone on our roadways remain a targeted priority in Dutchess County," he said. "Simply have a plan to get home safely before you go out."

The ages of those arrested ranged from 19 to 72. Two were charged with felonies; the rest, misdemeanors.

The sheriff's office was joined in the effort by the New York State Police, City of Beacon, City of Poughkeepsie, Town of Fishkill, Town of Pine Plains and Town of Poughkeepsie, and the villages of Red Hook, Millerton and Wappingers Falls police departments.