Arizona Department of Public Safety makes 30 arrests statewide for impaired driving during the three day holiday weekend

Officers with the Arizona Department of Public Safety made 30 arrests over the weekend for DUI. That included 18 arrests made by DPS Officers assigned to the agency’s Metro East Patrol Bureau which is responsible for patrolling the freeways in the East Valley. Twenty eight separate task forces statewide comprised of officers from multiple law enforcement agencies reported 308 DUI arrests for the three day period.

There were a total of five deaths on highways in Arizona during the Fourth of July three day weekend. That broke down to four collisions with five fatalities. Last year, there was one fatality on the state highway system as the Fourth of July Holiday fell on a Wednesday.

Here is an example of why impaired driving endangers the public on the road:

On July 4th at 4:51 a.m., an Arizona Department of Public Safety Officer attempted to stop a man driving 106 miles per hour along Interstate 10 eastbound through Central Phoenix where the posted speed limit is 55 mph. The driver was weaving across all lanes of traffic and was observed drinking alcohol while he drove. Failing to yield for the Officer, the driver exited the freeway at 16th street and blew through a stop sign. He then waved at the Officer four times as he drove through a neighborhood. He finally stopped his vehicle in front of his house, but fought with the Officer as he was arrested. The man stated he failed to yield because he wanted to finish his beer.

“Fortunately there are more DPS Officers on the highways and freeways of Arizona these days and that means more impaired drivers are being stopped and arrested. Obviously, we’d like to see less people driving while impaired but as long as they do we’ll make a commitment to getting them off the road,” said Roger Vanderpool, director of the Arizona
Department of Public Safety.