Utah Police Arrest 76 DUI Suspects during Easter Weekend

Over the course of Easter weekend, the Utah Highway Patrol carried out a DUI Blitz to catch those who were driving under the influence (DUI) and to promote safe driving behavior.

It is reported that 174 officers were on roadways and highways throughout the state and they were avidly looking for drunk drivers.  The DUI Blitz yielded 76 arrests, which will lead to investigations for charges of impaired driving at a later time.  According to the Utah Highway Patrol spokesman, Jeff Nigbur, officers stopped 1,565 vehicles during the course of the weekend for suspected DUI.

Nigbur said, "we feel this was an extremely successful operation," and that, "The public got the message, and we've been hearing positive results from across the state."  He also said that numerous counties in the state of Utah reported no alcohol related accidents.  He credits this to the fact that many bars had taxi services waiting in parking lots, which encouraged patrons to take a cab instead of getting behind the wheel.  People were very aware that a DUI Blitz was in effect.

The effort to keep the streets of Utah safe is going to be ongoing as the UHP plans to conduct a Blitz every month.  Future Blitzs will not only target DUI offenders, but also those who are driving aggressively or driving without seatbelts.  In the recent past, numerous high-profile accidents had resulted from DUI in Utah, which prompted the UHP to take action.  Nigbur said that frequent reminders and a monthly Blitz will enforce safe driving and discourage DUI.

Click here to find a DUI defense lawyer in Utah!