22 Drivers Arrested For DUII Over 2 Days: Sheriff

WASHINGTON COUNTY, OR — Although Labor Day was Sept. 3, Washington County Sheriff's deputies began their enhanced Labor Day impaired driving enforcement back on Aug. 17. During that period of increased drunk driving patrols, deputies reportedly arrested 47 intoxicated drivers.

The grant-funded, high visibility enforcement mission to remove impaired drivers from Washington County roads was conducted in partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Oregon Department of Transportation, and the Oregon State Sheriff's Association, Washington County officials said.

For comparison, Washington County deputies reportedly made 76 arrests for driving under the influence of intoxicants (DUII) throughout the entire month of July (31 days). Forty-seven arrests in 17 days is a slightly higher rate of arrests, though 22 of those 47 arrests occurred just over two days — Aug. 31 and Sept. 1.

Of the 47 drivers arrested for DUII, five were reportedly drug-related. However, which drugs those drivers were using isn't known until after the driver's arrest and submission to a urinalysis test, Washington County Deputy Shannon Wilde told Patch. That data was not available at the time of this reporting.

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From cannabis or heroin to methamphetamine or even prescription medications, an impaired driver not under the influence of alcohol is subjected to a variety of different tests administered by a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) officer or deputy, Wilde said. But unlike an alcohol breathalyzer test, which provides immediate blood alcohol content results, a urinalysis after the DRE has determined impairment takes a little longer.

Regardless of the type of impairment, however, the numbers from Washington County's enhanced DUII mission show a continued high number of impaired drivers still traveling through the county — and that's despite the sheriff's office's focused efforts, which includes two full-time deputies whose sole jobs are DUII enforcement.

"Impaired driving enforcement has always been one of our top priorities," Wilde said, noting an average 1,000 DUII arrests per year by Washington County deputies. "We're one of the most prolific DUII enforcement agencies in the state … so what these numbers show us is that despite our efforts, we still continue to have a problem with people getting behind the wheel after they've had a few too many."

According to the NHTSA, 37,461 people were killed in crashes in 2016, with 28 percent (10,497) of those deaths occurring in crashes that involved a driver with a BAC over the legal limit of .08 percent, Wilde said, adding the cost of a DUII case in court — for the defendant — could reach or even exceed $10,000.

Wilde suggests using a designated sober driver, public or private transit, or a ride share service like Uber or Lyft. Also, the NHTSA offers a SaferRide Mobile App that helps intoxicated revelers locate someone who can assist them with a safe ride home.

"Please do your part in keeping our roadways safe and help keep impaired drivers from getting behind the wheel," Wilde said. "If you plan on drinking or consuming drugs, designate your sober driver. And remember: Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk."

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