Local Law Enforcement Warns of DUI Deaths This Weekend

by Jonathan Weaver

With nearly two dozen alcohol-related fatalities in Armstrong County last year following crashes, county law enforcement leaders are urging residents to be safe this holiday weekend.

Outside the Armstrong County Courthouse in Kittanning yesterday afternoon, Pennsylvania State Police, County and Borough police planted American flags – but not necessarily to show their patriotism Armstrong-Indiana-Clarion Drug and Alcohol Commission Prevention Specialist Jennifer McCroskey said.

“This (was) a DUI activity, talking about the number of deaths related the alcohol-related crashes over the last five years,” McCroskey said. “The flags represent each person that’s passed away.

“We’re hoping to get (the 23 flags) down to zero. We don’t want any alcohol-related crashes any where and at any time – it doesn’t just have to be Labor Day.”

According to PennDOT statistics, there were also a total of 26 drug-related crashes last year in Armstrong County.

A total of 58 road fatalities were reported last year in the five-county region – with 14 of those deaths in Armstrong.

PennDOT District 11 Safety Press Officer Jay Ofsanik has responded to such accidents first-hand as well as a line officer within the Uniontown Fire Department

“It’s devastating when there are these type of crashes,” Ofsanik said. “There are 23 people whose lives have been impacted for the rest of their lives.”

Pennsylvania State Police Troop D Butler Captain Steve Ignatz encouraged motorists to use common sense this holiday weekend given how busy police patrols were in September 2015.

“Last year, we had quite-a-few arrests for driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. The Kittanning station alone made 411 arrests – which is what I would consider to be a high number,” Captain Ignatz said. “And, a lot of those were under the influence of drugs – illegal drugs and prescription drugs.

“If you’re caught, you will be arrested and you will be prosecuted. It’s an expensive proposition to be arrested for anything let alone drinking and driving – the fines, penalties are severe because there is a great danger to the public.”

Kittanning Borough Police Chief Bruce Mathews also emphasizes safety.

“Especially with the holiday weekend, safety is still the priority. We want to make sure everybody gets home safe,” Chief Mathews said. “A lot of times during the major holidays there’s a tendency for people to celebrate a little longer and not expecting it when they hit the roads or other people.

The 23 deaths here are a grim reminder that that stuff does happen.”

Kittanning Borough is also part of the County DUI Task Force – currently led by Kiskiminetas Township Police Sergeant Christian Disciscio.

“Several times throughout the year we’ll have different checkpoints, whether stationary or roving. (The DUI Task Force) allows us to pull our resources – so we’ll have two-or-three (officers in Kittanning Borough), for more saturation patrols. It really is a valuable resource.”

Police officials did not want to reveal where there would be increased patrols this upcoming weekend, but several locations are being considered – including primary access routes.

“All roads are fair-game,” Captain Ignatz warned.

Safety officials are now also beginning to track drug-related crashes.

During the past five years, the number of total fatalities in the five-county region has slowly dipped – from 62 persons to 58 in 2015.

Wednesday’s effort was coordinated through the Armstrong-Indiana Drug Free Communities Coalition – a group made up of leaders from 12 different community sectors (such as law enforcement, healthcare, and business)

“The goal of the coalition is actually to work to help reduce the amount of drugs and other issues related to Armstrong and Indiana County youth and adults as well,” McCroskey said. “The whole goal is just for us to partner together to work toward that goal of reducing it, to make it drug-free. We all work together to combat this issue.”

Last week, PennDOT officials also held a media briefing with the Pennsylvania DUI Association and several Drug Recognition Experts (DREs) – including Kiskiminetas Township Police Chief Jerrod Thompson and Sergeant Christian Disciscio – at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh to urge the public not to drive while under the influence of drugs.

“Getting behind the wheel after consuming alcohol is not the only way to get a DUI,” said PennDOT District Executive, Joseph P. Dubovi, III. “Many people do not realize that they can be arrested for driving under the influence of illegal drugs, prescription drugs, or even over the counter medications.”

Drug Recognition Experts (DREs) are police officers trained to recognize impairment in drivers under the influence of drugs, in addition to alcohol. The International Association of Chiefs of Police and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation, coordinate this program together.

Currently, there are 159 DREs in the state of Pennsylvania – both at the state level and in local municipalities – according to PennDOT District 11 Safety Press Officer Yasmeen Manyisha.

“Drug Recognition Experts must be active officers and then whoever decides they want to be a DRE goes through an extensive training process. Every year, there’s a new graduating class,” Manyisha said.

Pennsylvania’s first DRE, retired Pennsylvania State Police Corporal David Andrasik, presented a synthetic display of the illegal substances that can lead to a DUI-drug arrest. Currently, Andrasik in the Pennsylvania DUI Association’s President of the Board and oversees the Pennsylvania DRE program after being the state’s first DRE officer.

The DRE program began in California in the 1970s as a response to drugged driving. Pennsylvania certified its first DRE (David Andrasik) in 2004.

There are no state laws stating that there must be a certain amount of DREs in a region, city, or the state.

City of Pittsburgh Police Sergeant Terry Donnelly highlighted local DUI-drug Task Force efforts and noted that there are collaborative efforts among the regional DREs, to crack down on impaired drivers by conducting checkpoints to keep motorists and pedestrians safe throughout the holiday.

According to PennDOT 2015 data, there were 3,799 drug-related crashes with133 fatalities in those crashes statewide. The Southwest region of Pennsylvania, accounts for 20 percent of these drug-related crashes and 17 percent of these fatalities. Last year, Indiana-based District 10’s five counties of Armstrong,
Butler, Clarion, Indiana, and Jefferson had 1,225 drug-related crashes and 5 fatalities.

In 2015, during the Labor Day Holiday week, from Friday, September 4 through Sunday, September 13, there were 106 drug-related crashes and 5 fatalities in Pennsylvania.

Additionally, there were 52,382 DUI arrests last year. DUI-drug arrests continue to climb, now accounting for 50 percent of all impaired driving arrests. There weren 26,832 such arrests in 2015, an increase from 6,141 in 2014. The most common substances used regionally include marijuana and heroin.

“Just like any other holiday, it’s a time people want to get together with friends and family (to) relax and have a good time,” Manyisha said. “Unfortunately, drugs are sometimes part of the plan for people. We want to make people aware that if they get behind the wheel while impaired – whether it be alcohol or drugs -, you’re putting yourself at risk as well as other people and their friends and families as well.”

A few years ago, a similar public display was at the Armstrong Indiana Clarion Drug and Alcohol Commission office along U.S. Route 422 in Shelocta.

A display in Clarion County was coordinated last week, while Indiana County leaders tried to further awareness outside the Indiana County Courthouse Monday afternoon.

It is also the last weekend for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” enforcement campaign.