Sheriff Randy Seal’s plan to have extra patrols throughout the parish on New Year’s Eve resulted in the arrests of three persons for drunk driving. 

Sheriff Seal and several of his deputies spent the night traveling throughout the parish looking for impaired drivers.    Suspected impaired drivers were pulled over and field sobriety tests were administered.  Those failing the field tests were then transported to the jail where a breath analysis was conducted by a certified operator to determine the degree of intoxication.  Intoxicated drivers were then placed in the jail where they were not eligible for release until a minimum of eight hours had passed.

“This was a successful operation,” said Sheriff Seal.  “One DWI arrest each six hours is considered good.  We were able to make three.  That translates to three drunk drivers who we were able to place in the jail and keep away from the traveling public.  Our citizens should be able to drive throughout the parish without having to worry about drunk drivers.  We have zero tolerance for drinking and driving and will enforce the DWI laws without exception.”

New Year’s Eve 2013 and the early morning hours of January 1, 2014, were relatively quiet for the parish.  There were no reports of automobile wrecks and no major incidents.

“Be assured,” said Sheriff Seal, “that our efforts to find and arrest drunk drivers are not limited to holidays.  We are constantly on the lookout for impaired drivers.  If you drink any amount of alcohol, you should not be behind the wheel.  Always remember, buzzed driving is drunk driving.”