Tampa Road Checkpoint Nets 5 DUIs, 10 Arrests
Some drivers were also charged with possessing drugs and firearms at the Friday night checkpoint in Oldsmar, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.
A Pinellas County Sheriff's Office checkpoint at Tampa Road in Oldsmar netted 10 arrests and five DUI charges overnight Friday.
Various units of the sheriff's office set up the DUI checkpoint at Lockheed Martin, 3655 Tampa Rd., in Oldsmar late Friday and into Saturday morning, according to a media release.
The checkpoint resulted 10 arrests and 16 different charges:
- 5 DUI
- 2 no valid driver's license
- 1 possession of drug paraphernalia
- 2 possession of marijuana
- 1 unlawful possession of a firearm
- 2 driving while license suspended or revoked
- 1 trafficking in Hydromorphone
- 1 possession of Suboxone
- 1 failure to obey lawful command
There were also 16 citations, and 11 vehicles were impounded.
Of the 2,042 vehicles that passed by the checkpoint, 483 were pulled over, according to the release.
L. Bleile
12:19 pm on Saturday, September 29, 2012
Too bad it's just a great promo for the police ...After being involved in being hit by a DUI who threw the BEER out the window, with 4 witnesses to this... The Sheriff at the scene said, "Well I didn't see him do it and he doesn't seem impaired...." So another drunk driver gets off with just a traffic ticket even though all saw him throw the beer can, nodding off next to his car and heard his slurred speech. My attorney has had 4 instances similar to this occur in the last few months. It all sounds like propaganda to me....
Spencer Shaw
10:41 pm on Saturday, September 29, 2012
There is only 1 Sheriff per county. All the others are Deputies. And they can't make a DUI arrest on witnesses, they need probable cause that the person was actually impaired, not just what you said.
Justice Forall
3:08 pm on Saturday, September 29, 2012
I'm all for the surprise check points~ this should be EVERY weekend!!
Michael J. Kovac
12:45 pm on Sunday, September 30, 2012
The two pharm drugs drivers were holding I never heard of. What do they do?
James Mcriley
6:37 pm on Saturday, October 6, 2012
hydromorphone - dilaudid ... good pain killer
suboxone - blocks effects of opiates in addicts to help recovery ..
Pinellas Voter
8:53 am on Monday, October 1, 2012
I gather this Sheriff has not heard of the 4th Amendment which reads: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
It's not that I want impaired drivers on the road; I simply want them removed in a legal manner that does not entrap others who are not impaired and, therefore, entitled to their 4th Amendment rights.
Bruce
4:26 pm on Monday, October 1, 2012
I'm all for getting impared drivers off the road, however how are these police searching vehicles and finding drugs when you know they don't have a search warrent. Other than submitting to a sobriety test if asked to do so I resent the fact these law enforcment officers are searching vehicles. My vehicle is like my home, it is my personal space and no one should have the right to invade that space without my consent.
James Mcriley
6:07 pm on Saturday, October 6, 2012
it is against the right of illegal search and seizure .. thus it has to be announced to get in to be legal .. . just another way the us is going downhill in relation to individual rights and liberties ....