Dozens arrested, cited in Richmond County checkpoint blitz
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - A blitz of safety checkpoints over the weekend led to dozens of arrests and citations of drivers across the region.
In Richmond County, officers removed at least 20 impaired drivers from roads.
The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, East Central Traffic Enforcement Network, Governor’s Office of Highway Safety and Georgia State Patrol conducted checks between 8 p.m. Friday and 3 a.m. Saturday.
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According to Capt. Mike Lewis of the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, the safety checks also led to:
- Nine seat belt citations.
- Five child safety seat citations.
- Two uninsured motorist citations.
- 10 suspended driver’s license citations.
- Two suspended tag citations.
- One arrest for an outstanding warrant.
- One arrest on felony drug charges.
Lewis called the operation “a great success in making Richmond County’s roads safer,” saying, “We look forward to continued collaboration to enhance roadway safety in our community.”
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Officers also assisted numerous families by ensuring children were properly secured in appropriate car seats, deputies said.
“You never know when you might save a child’s life at an event such as this,” said Grovetown Police Chief Jamey Kitchens, who serves as the East Central Traffic Enforcement Network coordinator for an 11-county region. “Through the Department of Health and ECTEN, we were able to provide complimentary car seats to those in need helping us to further our goal of saving lives.”
Powell Harrelson of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety emphasized the legality of the safety checks, stating: “Road checks such as these are legal as determined by the U.S. Supreme Court in Michigan v. Sitz and reaffirmed by the Georgia Supreme Court for Georgia’s roadways. While you may never know how many lives are saved through checkpoints, studies by the CDC and other meta-analyses have shown that these efforts reduce alcohol-related crashes and encourage responsible decision-making.”
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