DATE: Saturday, September 2, 2021
SUBJECT: DUI Checkpoint Results
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021-NR-0902
CONTACT: Lt. Matt Corn
AUTHORITY: Sheriff Dave Wedding

The Evansville-Vanderburgh County Traffic Safety Partnership conducted a sobriety checkpoint on Thursday, September 2nd near the intersection of Morgan Ave and Theater Drive. Law enforcement officers from the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office and Evansville Police Department conducted the checkpoint as a part of Blitz 110: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, a statewide enforcement campaign designed to detect and deter impaired driving.

The checkpoint ran from 11:00 PM on Thursday, September 2nd until 2:00 AM on Friday, September 3rd. A total of 95 vehicles were diverted from westbound Morgan Ave into the checkpoint. Three arrests were made at the checkpoint including two for felony charges and one for a misdemeanor charge. Additionally, four misdemeanor citations were issued at the checkpoint for traffic offenses. No drivers that came through the checkpoint were arrested for operating a vehicle while intoxicated; however, several drivers that admitted to consuming alcoholic beverages were taken through standard field sobriety testing. Motorists who had been drinking were checked for signs of impairment and given the option to find alternate transportation if their breath alcohol content approached the legal limit.

Motorists who had not been drinking and were in possession of a valid license were back on the road in less than 90 seconds. Funding for local sobriety checkpoint operations is provided by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI) through a grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

ARRESTED:

Justin Lee Kunze, 48, of Evansville IN – Lifetime Habitual Traffic Violator – Felony

Bailey Madison Howard, 23, of Marion, KY, Failure to Appear – Misdemeanor Warrant

Andrew Christopher Sheets, 38, of Evansville, IN – Habitual Traffic Violator – Felony and Failure to Appear – Outside Felony Warrant

PREVIOUSLY: DUI CHECKPOINT WARNING: Sobriety Checkpoint Planned

END