Deputies to Set Up Sobriety Checkpoint

The Sheriff’s Department will hold a sobriety checkpoint tonight to try to reduce the annual holiday increase of alcohol-related accidents, said Sgt. Peter Charbonneau.

The goal of the checkpoint is for education and to prevent tragedies, he said. “If that’s at the expense of somebody being arrested, so be it.”

Sheriff’s deputies will randomly stop drivers at an undisclosed location between 7 p.m. and 2 a.m, Charbonneau said. If deputies smell alcohol on a driver’s breath, they will administer field sobriety tests and possibly a pre-alcohol screening test, which is similar to a Breathalyzer.

“Based on the results of field sobriety tests, the PAS test and officers’ observations, officers will decide if the driver is drunk or sober,” he said. A blood-alcohol content of .08% is the minimum for a driving under the influence arrest.

A first offense could result in six months to a year in county jail, a fine and a license suspension, Charbonneau said. Three convictions within seven years results in automatic license suspension and possibly more jail time and fines.