The DUI Task Force operated by the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office continues this weekend in Maricopa, along with Casa Grande, San Tan Valley, Apache Junction, Florence and Coolidge.
PCSO and local police departments have deployed through the holiday season to take impaired drivers off the road. The special operation began Thanksgiving weekend and will operate through December.
According to sheriff’s office PIO Jim Knupp, on Nov. 29, Dec. 6 and Dec. 7, there were two extreme DUI arrests, 18 misdemeanor DUI arrests, six DUI drug impaired driving arrests, 21 speeding citations and two seatbelt violations. They also identified 15 designated drivers.
More than 25 law enforcement officers have participated in Maricopa and Casa Grande. Among the 11 agencies in the task force are the Maricopa Police Department and the Ak-Chin Police Department.
According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, 31 percent of vehicle crash fatalities involve a drunk driver. That percentage increases in the days before and after Thanksgiving (35 percent), Christmas (37 percent) and New Year’s Eve (41 percent).
![Phoenix police stop a stolen vehicle on April 20, 2024. [Facebook]](https://www.inmaricopa.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IMG_5040-218x150.jpg "Alleged car thief released without charges")
