Crackdown in Bonne Terre

Police are out in Bonne Terre this weekend in search of drivers who may be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with too much to drink and getting behind the wheel of a car. The department is cracking down on drunk drivers throughout the weekend.

“We make several arrests per month for drunk driving,” said Sgt. Bill Stegall. “We want people to go out and have a good time, but call a cab or have a designated driver — be responsible.”

An additional three officers will be on patrol in Bonne Terre through Monday with overtime paid by a grant from MoDOT. Stegall said police departments often step up patrols around holiday weekends.

“It’s never worth the risk to drive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol,” said Doug Calvert, Police Chief. “Drivers could lose their license, pay large fines or worst of all, cause a tragic loss of life.”

In 2006, 273 people died in more than 7,900 alcohol-related crashes in Missouri. That’s a death or injury every one and a half hours.