DWIs, fatal alcohol-related wrecks increase

The number of alcohol related wrecks and driving while impaired charges have increased this year, according to the North Carolina Highway Patrol.

By mid-June, the Highway Patrol made more than 300 driving while impaired arrests in Onslow County.

The 318 arrests were less than the 356 made in the same time period in 2008, but the Onslow office was also working with three less troopers than usual, Sgt. Kevin Martin said.

By the end of 2008, the Highway Patrol made nearly 700 DWI arrests - 21 of which were during the week of July 4.

"That's just the Highway Patrol. That's not including Jacksonville, Richlands, Holly Ridge and North Topsail. That's not including any of those, or Topsail," Martin said.

While 2009 data for the Jacksonville Police Department is not yet available, the department made 331 DWI arrests in 2008, according to data from JPD.

The highway patrol's alcohol-related collision caseload has already grown in 2009, Martin said.

By the end of May, there were 85 alcohol-related collisions, up 7 percent from January through May 2008, he said. Three of the 2009 wrecks have been fatal.

By the end of 2008, the Highway Patrol handled 207 alcohol related wrecks, 11 of which were fatal.

JPD responded to 41 alcohol-related wrecks in 2008, eight of which resulted in fatalities, according to data.

The Highway Patrol didn't have any alcohol-related fatal wrecks in Carteret County during 2008. However, three have occurred so far in 2009 - two of which were last weekend, 1st Sgt. Brandon Craft said.

"Even though we're even on the alcohol and drug-related collisions, we're actually up on the fatal collisions involving alcohol," he said.

DWI arrests have also increased in Carteret County.

By mid-June 2008, there were 194 DWI arrests. So far in 2009, there have been 216, Craft said.

Contact Amanda Hickey at 910-219-8461 or ahickey@freedomenc.com. Read the Lejeune Deployed blog here.