Crime & Safety

East Market Drunk Driving Checkpoint Nets 44 Arrests

817 cars entered the Summit County OVI Task Force checkpoint this past Saturday and 773 made it out.

The Summit County OVI Task Force had a busy Saturday night after setting up a checkpoint along East Market Street in Akron.

In total, 817 cars were stopped and searched. Of the drivers and passengers who were screened, 26 were charged with driving under suspension, six for misdemeanor drug possession, five for drunk driving, five for outstanding warrants and two for open containers, reports the Falls News Press. 

Peninsula Patrolman Eddie Westfall, who's worked on the task force for five years, called it a "pretty good weekend" but said the high volume of arrests wasn't totally surprising.

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The East Market intersection was chosen due to the above average number of drunk driving arrests and drinking-related accidents that have occurred there over the last year, he said.

Westfall said to anticipate more checkpoints over the summer and asked drivers to act responsibly if they've had too much to drink.

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"Take the time to call a cab or have a friend pick you up if you've driven but had too much to drink," he said. "You just never want to put yourself in a situation where you could injure yourself or someone else."

The task force is comprised of officers from the Summit County Sheriff's Department and the Akron, Boston Heights, New Franklin, Peninsula, Richfield, Silver Lake and Departments.


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