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NE Ohio police step up Thanksgiving holiday patrols, sobriety checkpoints

Posted at 9:32 AM, Nov 23, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-23 09:33:46-05

Northeast Ohio police in multiple jurisdictions are out in force and on the lookout for drunk drivers during the extended Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

The Ohio Highway Patrol reports it will be running additional troopers on all shifts.

The patrol told News 5 nine Ohio drivers died in crashes last year during the Thanksgiving weekend. Six of those fatalities involved impaired drivers.

The Stark County Sheriff's Office ran sobriety checkpoints on Everhard Road in Jackson Township on Nov. 22, checking more than 1,000 drivers.

Major C.J. Stantz told News 5 drivers need to use good judgment, or make arrangements for a ride if they plan on drinking this Thanksgiving holiday.

The Stark County Sheriff's office ran more sobriety checkpoints in 2017 than any other police agency in the state of Ohio.

"There are several clues we're looking for, it’s not just one clue," said Stantz. "If deputies do suspect, or they ask the person If they’ve been drinking, or if there’s any indication they’ve been drinking, then we'll get them out of the car and bring them to our diversion area where we will test them."

Stantz said they just want everyone to have a safe holiday.

"That’s our message, just be safe out there. We’re not here to harass anybody or anything like that, we’re here to make sure everybody is safe. We don’t want an innocent person driving down the road to get hit by a drunk driver."