Nassau County is gearing up for a summer of stricter enforcement against drunk and drugged driving as District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly allocates $60,000 in grant funding toward DWI enforcement. The initiative, announced in Mineola alongside Long Beach and Freeport law enforcement officials, aims to curb the deadly trend that often peaks during the warmer months.
Last August’s grim tally of seven deaths and six injuries in four separate DUI-related crashes spurred this proactive response. DA Donnelly emphasized the urgent need to prevent such tragedies from recurring, especially as Long Island braces for an influx of summer revelers drawn to its beaches and nightlife.
“In a nine-day span last August, seven people were tragically killed and another six were injured in four separate crashes on our Nassau County roadways involving a drug or alcohol impaired driver,” said DA Donnelly, stressing the urgency of the matter. “It was horrifying, and it cannot happen again this summer.”
Long Beach Acting Police Commissioner Richard DePalma echoed these sentiments, praising the grant as a crucial tool in safeguarding residents and visitors alike. Freeport Police Department Chief of Police Michael Smith also expressed gratitude for the support, highlighting last year’s doubled DUI arrest rate with NCDA grant aid.
“District Attorney Donnelly’s support for increased patrols throughout the summer is literally going to save lives,” he said.
The grants, funded by criminal asset forfeiture, will finance heightened patrols staffed by officers trained in detecting impaired drivers. With a focus on strategic times and locations notorious for DUI incidents, including weekends and waterfront areas, law enforcement aims to deter reckless behavior behind the wheel.
The initiative comes amidst ongoing prosecutions of DUI-related crashes, underscoring the dire consequences of impaired driving. Michael DeAngelo’s guilty plea for a crash that claimed four lives and injured two teenagers, and Sotirios Spanos’s admission of guilt in another fatal collision, serve as sobering reminders of the devastation wrought by DUI incidents.
As the summer season looms, Nassau County remains steadfast in its commitment to road safety, bolstered by increased enforcement and a resolute stance against DUI offenders.
Photo by energepic.com
