Captain Jason Berry
Government and Media Relations
(360) 596-4010 – office
(360) 596-4015 – fax
http://www.wsp.wa.gov
*** For Immediate Release***
Date:
July 6, 2010
Contact:
Bob Calkins, WSP
Phone:
(360) 596-4013
E-mail:
Robert.Calkins@wsp.wa.gov
57 IMPAIRED DRIVERS ARRESTED BY TARGET ZERO TEAMS OVER HOLIDAY WEEKEND
-Only one fatality in King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties-
(Olympia)—Three Target Zero Teams operating in King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties arrested at least 57 impaired drivers over the holiday weekend.
That total includes four arrests by members of the Bellevue Police Department who were working as part of the Target Zero Team. 53 arrests were made by 18 team members from the Washington State Patrol.
State Patrol Chief John R. Batiste said the numbers bear out a warning that was given at the Team’s kick-off event on Thursday.
“We said it and we meant it,” Batiste said. “If you choose to drink and drive in King, Pierce or Snohomish counties, your chances of being caught and convicted are now much higher.”
The weekend arrest number could grow. Target Zero is a multi-agency effort, and data from some agencies is still being compiled.
Only one fatal collision was reported over the weekend. It has not been determined if that collision was alcohol-related. During the shorter 2009 Independence Day weekend, there were no fatalities.
The WSP Target Zero Teams contacted 272 drivers during their weekend patrols for traffic violations of all kinds. In the three-county area, another 52 impaired drivers were arrested by state troopers who were not part of the Target Zero emphasis patrols.
TZT Participating Agencies
| King County | Pierce County | Snohomish County |
|---|---|---|
| Auburn | Bonney Lake | Arlington |
| Bellevue | Edgewater | Bothell |
| Federal Way | Fife | Brier |
| Issaquah | Lakewood | Edmonds |
| Kent | Milton | Everett |
| King County SO | Orting | Granite Falls |
| Kirkland | Pierce County SO | Lake Stevens |
| Redmond | Puyallup | Lynnwood |
| Renton | Sumner | Marysville |
| Tacoma | Mill Creek | |
| University Place | Monroe | |
| Mountlake Terrace | ||
| Snohomish | ||
| Snohomish County SO | ||
| SnoPAC Dispatch | ||
| Tulalip Tribal |