Law enforcement steps up patrol for holiday weekend

During the week of Fourth of July in 2008, more than 20 people were charged with driving while intoxicated by the North Carolina Highway Patrol in Onslow County.

The Highway Patrol hopes to see fewer this year, area troopers say.

In an effort to keep the number of driving while intoxicated arrests and alcohol-related fatalities down, area law enforcement will be out in force this holiday weekend.

The North Carolina Highway Patrol is joining with other area law enforcement agencies, including the Jacksonville Police Department, to conduct checkpoints and have their presence seen on area roadways.

"There are going to be multiple roadblocks set up this weekend. ... We have all available troopers scheduled to work. We're just going to do the best we can to increase our presence. Hopefully, we can deter people from drinking and driving," said Sgt. Kevin Martin with the Highway Patrol.

According to Martin, Highway Patrol will be targeting high collision roadways, including U.S. 17, U.S. 258, N.C. 24 and N.C. 53 in Onslow County.

The Highway Patrol will also be focusing on high collision roadways in Carteret County, including N.C. 58, N.C. 24 and U.S. 70, said 1st Sgt. Brandon Craft.

"We look at the number of alcohol related collisions on the roadways and the number of collisions themselves. We'll be targeting those areas with saturation patrols and check-in stations," Martin said.

While check-in stations will be set up, the troopers will also go out in saturation patrols, where a group of troopers will work a certain area, Martin said.

The number of check-ins, however, is not yet certain.

"(We're going to have) as many as we can. It's going to depend on calls for service but as many as we can. We're going to get our guys out here in force and see if we can't prevent people from driving drunk." Martin said.

While drinking and driving is among the top concerns this weekend, Craft also hopes drivers will be careful, not speed and watch the drivers around them.

"It's going to be busy here this weekend I suspect," he said.

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