Authorities to ramp up road patrols
<p><strong>From left</strong>, Jeremy Lee, Sgt. Roy Christensen and Rick Mehring of the Montana Highway Patrol will be part of increased DUI patrols in the Flathead Valley. Lee is with the Safety Enforcement Traffic Team that will be in the Flathead Valley from June 30 to July 7. (Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
<p><strong>Montana Department</strong> of Transportation Director Mike Tooley talks at a news conference Monday at Whitefish City Beach. (Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
Law enforcement, county and state officials gathered at Whitefish City Beach on Monday to announce additional DUI patrols heading into the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
Flathead County will see an increased presence of local law enforcement and Montana Highway Patrol. July is statistically the deadliest month on Montana roads.
“I’ve seen firsthand lives shattered at the hands of impaired drivers,” Whitefish Police Chief Bill Dial said.
He was joined by representatives from the Kalispell Police Department, Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, area fire departments, Montana Highway Patrol and the Montana Department of Transportation.
Many of the increased patrols will begin at the end of this week and run through the holiday. Dial said his officers will focus on the highways that lead in and out of Whitefish.
Flathead County roads had 184 traffic fatalities from 2004 to 2013, about half attributed to impaired drivers. Of the 13 people who lost their lives in Flathead County crashes last year, five involved an impaired driver.
The extra patrols will come from local and county law enforcement. The Highway Patrol’s Safety Enforcement Traffic Team, a specialized force for DUI enforcement, also will have a presence in the Flathead Valley.
Mike Tooley, director of the state transportation department, applauded the 2015 Montana Legislature for passing various DUI laws.
“These new pieces of legislation are meant to save lives, and they need to,” he said.
The Legislature increased the maximum penalties and fines for DUI offenders and provided funding for overtime patrol shifts.
Tooley said DUI fines had not changed since the 1980s.
Tooley, who served 28 years with the Highway Patrol, spoke about the difficulty of responding to fatal traffic calls.
“The pain is just never overcome,” he said.
The midday announcement was made near a large lighted sign that read, “Arrive alive; Don’t drink and drive.”
Wendy Olson-Hanson, coordinator of the Flathead County DUI Task Force, stressed awareness as holiday parties kick off next week.
“It is our goal that gatherings like this don’t end in tragedy,” she said.
Reporter Matt Hudson may be reached at 758-4459 or by email at mhudson@dailyinterlake.com.