April 02, 2021
Spokane – The Washington State Patrol (WSP) will have extra troopers working Saturday to ensure motorists have a safe weekend. Basketball fans who plan to be out watching Gonzaga beat UCLA in their Final Four matchup, should plan ahead and not drive impaired. Extra troopers will be on duty to strictly enforce the “Rules of the Road.” District 4 troopers want to remind drivers that we will be paying particular attention to dangerous speed, distracted driving, seat belt usage and impaired driving violations, in our efforts to reduce serious injury and fatal collisions.
Troopers will also be in town from the WSP’s Mobile Impaired Driving Unit (MIDU). These specially trained troopers will be manning the breath test machines in Spokane to help quickly process drivers that have been arrested. This allows troopers, officers and deputies who are patrolling the roads to get back out on the streets quicker. MIDU troopers are also trained phlebotomist that can perform legal blood draws on suspected impaired drivers.
Troopers will be working closely with local law enforcement agencies to remove impaired drivers from our roadways. Impaired driving continues to be one of the leading causes of serious injury and fatal crashes in Washington State. “We will have zero tolerance for drivers who are stopped and are impaired,” said Lieutenant Chuck Arnold, Acting District 4 Commander. “Our troopers will continue to do what it takes to remove these dangerous drivers from our roads”.
The WSP encourages motorists who see these types of dangerous driving behaviors to please call 911. Callers who can provide a good description of the vehicle and driver, license plate of the vehicle and direction of travel will help troopers tremendously. It is our goal to have everyone arrive at their destinations safely and without incident. #GoZags
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