Police will monitor drivers tonight
Law enforcement
officials pledge to keep New Year’s eve as safe as possible
By JESSICA KELLER
ARGUS OBSERVER
Monday, December 31, 2007 11:12 AM PST
ONTARIO - Area police departments are urging this evening’s revelers to take precautions before going out to celebrate by making transportation arrangements for tonight’s festivities if they intend to drink alcoholic beverages.
Law enforcement agencies on both sides of the Oregon/Idaho border will be watching out for impaired drivers both tonight and tomorrow and urge drivers to avoid getting behind the wheel if they are impaired.
Both the Ontario Police Department and Malheur County Sheriff’s Office have been fortunate these past few years to not encounter too many drunk drivers. OPD Capt. Mark Alexander and Malheur County Sheriff Andy Bentz both said they would like it to stay that way.
“It’s been actually pretty good,” Alexander said of the holiday season so far and the past couple of years, adding people are pretty aware of the risk of driving while impaired this time of year.
Still, Alexander and Bentz recommend people take extra measures to not drive while impaired.
“As always, we’re watching for impaired drivers,” Alexander said, adding the police department is asking for people’s help if they are hosting parties to designate drivers or for people to use a designated driver if they are going out.
Alexander said people hosting a party run a risk of some kind of liability if somebody leaves intoxicated and crashes or causes some kind of damage or injury. Alexander and Bentz recommend plenty of food is served at such festivities, and nonalcoholic drinks are provided for designated drivers.
Alexander said in Oregon, driving under the influence is a class A misdemeanor, and people will lose their license for at least 90 days, have their vehicle impounded and are subject to impound fees, arrested and subject to a number of fines.
“It’s really not worth it,” Alexander said. “It’s just much easier to use somebody who’s not going to be drinking or to call a cab.”
Alexander also warns people should not be stuck on the misconception they are not drunk or will not get into trouble if they have a blood alcohol content of less than .08. He said people could still be impaired by alcohol or by other means.
“You don’t necessarily have to be .08 to be impaired,” Alexander said. “If you’re shown to be driving impaired and under the influence, the .08 only applies to suspension. We kind of miss that in our education out there, just because (the law) says .08 means you can go out and drink some beer and smoke some marijuana and be OK.”
Bentz said, the sheriff’s office is conducting normal patrols this evening and tomorrow, but deputies will still be watching for impaired drivers and urges people to be careful, especially tomorrow if people are enjoying football bowl game festivities.
“It’s a long day, lots of games,” Bentz said. “But for the most part, people at our end of the valley have been very responsible.”
Bentz also cautions people that if they go out of town to celebrate to stay in that city at a hotel.
