
Jerri Mitchell-Tharp
St. Patrick's Day
With St. Patrick's Day upon us, lots of (socially distanced) events are popping up around the State. Along with those events, you can expect an uptick in police presence on the roads. To go along with the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, the Ohio State Highway Patrol released the following:
Over the last five years, there were a total of 18 people killed in 14 fatal crashes. Of those fatal crashes, seven were a result of impaired driving, resulting in 10 deaths. Additionally, 147 people were injured on St. Patrick’s Day due to OVI-related crashes. The Patrol made 691 OVI arrests on St. Patrick’s Day from 2016 to 2020. “The popularity of the holiday and the associated consumption of alcohol make it a dangerous time to travel on Ohio’s roadways,” said Colonel Richard S. Fambro, Patrol superintendent. “We want to encourage all motorists to plan ahead before they start celebrating.” In the last five years, impaired driving accounted for 254 crashes on St. Patrick’s Day. As always, motorists are encouraged to dial #677 to report drug activity or impaired drivers.
Please be sure to drink responsibly during the Holiday.