The long ignored failed roadways have suddenly forced the Powers-That-Be to focus on the concerns of surrounding towns that will have to deal with DRUNKS departing the proposed Genting/Mashpee Slot Barn in Taunton after consuming FREE ALCOHOL.
The Commonwealth apparently is unable to appropriately patrol the roadways under normal circumstances and unable to keep travelers safe.
What does that say about the future?
Beefed-up patrols on Route 24, I-195 net nine drunk drivers; 222 tickets issued
BROCKTON —
State police netted nine drunk drivers – including one going the wrong way and another who nearly struck a trooper on construction detail – on Friday and Saturday nights during the first weekend of beefed-up patrols on Route 24 and I-195, state police said.
State police – who also issued 222 citations to drivers – are “very pleased” with the results of the first patrol surge, state police spokesperson David Procopio said Monday.
“The troopers assigned to this initiative did a great job on the first two nights. But we are just beginning,” he said. “We will be out there overnight every Friday and Saturday through the end of September, and we will keep hammering any motorist who puts the lives of others in danger. We will make these roads a very difficult place to drive if you’re drunk, distracted, or aggressive.”
The statistics for the first weekend were released Monday. State police announced Thursday they are nearly tripling patrols on Route 24 and I-195 on Friday and Saturday nights through September, after a string of recent fatal crashes on Route 24.
Locally, two horrific accidents – one in Avon on July 12 and the other in West Bridgewater on July 15 – claimed three lives, including a 12-year-old girl from Norton.
Two drunk drivers were arrested Friday night, while seven more were arrested Saturday night, state police said.
Early Sunday morning, troopers arrested one of the alleged drunk drivers, Nicholas Pilla, 25, of New Bedford, after he drove the wrong way – northbound on the southbound side of Route 24 in Berkley at 3:15 a.m.
Troopers said Pilla’s eyes were “glassy and bloodshot” and his breath smelled like alcohol. Pilla was charged with operating the influence of liquor and negligent operation after troopers performed several field-sobriety tests, police said.
Early Saturday morning, a Brockton man arrested for drunken driving was among two drivers seriously injured in a two-car crash on Route 24 northbound, north of Exit 8 in Freetown at 1:35 a.m., state police said.
Jose Perez, 49, of Brockton, who was driving a 1999 Ford Mustang, was charged with operating under the influence, negligent operation, and marked lanes violation. Perez and the other driver, a 24-year-old Middleboro woman driving a 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier, were both sent to Rhode Island Hospital with serious but non life-threatening injuries, state police said.
It was not part of the targeted patrols on Route 24, but state police also arrested an Ohio man and charged him with drunken driving and driving the wrong way early Monday morning on Route 140 in New Bedford, state police said. State police received several calls just after midnight reporting a driver traveling northbound in the southbound lanes of Route 140 in New Bedford.
State police – who also issued 222 citations to drivers – are “very pleased” with the results of the first patrol surge, state police spokesperson David Procopio said Monday.
“The troopers assigned to this initiative did a great job on the first two nights. But we are just beginning,” he said. “We will be out there overnight every Friday and Saturday through the end of September, and we will keep hammering any motorist who puts the lives of others in danger. We will make these roads a very difficult place to drive if you’re drunk, distracted, or aggressive.”
The statistics for the first weekend were released Monday. State police announced Thursday they are nearly tripling patrols on Route 24 and I-195 on Friday and Saturday nights through September, after a string of recent fatal crashes on Route 24.
Locally, two horrific accidents – one in Avon on July 12 and the other in West Bridgewater on July 15 – claimed three lives, including a 12-year-old girl from Norton.
Two drunk drivers were arrested Friday night, while seven more were arrested Saturday night, state police said.
Early Sunday morning, troopers arrested one of the alleged drunk drivers, Nicholas Pilla, 25, of New Bedford, after he drove the wrong way – northbound on the southbound side of Route 24 in Berkley at 3:15 a.m.
Troopers said Pilla’s eyes were “glassy and bloodshot” and his breath smelled like alcohol. Pilla was charged with operating the influence of liquor and negligent operation after troopers performed several field-sobriety tests, police said.
Early Saturday morning, a Brockton man arrested for drunken driving was among two drivers seriously injured in a two-car crash on Route 24 northbound, north of Exit 8 in Freetown at 1:35 a.m., state police said.
Jose Perez, 49, of Brockton, who was driving a 1999 Ford Mustang, was charged with operating under the influence, negligent operation, and marked lanes violation. Perez and the other driver, a 24-year-old Middleboro woman driving a 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier, were both sent to Rhode Island Hospital with serious but non life-threatening injuries, state police said.
It was not part of the targeted patrols on Route 24, but state police also arrested an Ohio man and charged him with drunken driving and driving the wrong way early Monday morning on Route 140 in New Bedford, state police said. State police received several calls just after midnight reporting a driver traveling northbound in the southbound lanes of Route 140 in New Bedford.
Trooper Brendan Roper used his siren and blue emergency lights and his spotlight to signal Robert Pina, 45, of West Chester, Ohio. State police said Pina looked over at the marked state police cruiser and continued to drive his car down the road.
Freetown police responded and positioned a police cruiser in the breakdown lane with emergency lights and officers set up a vehicle tire-deflation device in the middle of Route 140, state police said.
Pina’s car came to a stop just before the tire-deflation device and pulled over into the breakdown lane.
Pina’s eyes were “glassy, bloodshot,” he had a strong odor of an alcohol on his breath, and he failed several sobriety tests, state police said.
Pina was charged with operating under the influence of liquor, negligent operation, and wrong-way operation. He was set to be arraigned Monday in New Bedford District Court.
State police deployed 11 additional patrols on Routes 24 and I-195 on Friday and Saturday. The extra patrols ran from 8 p.m. Friday to 4 a.m. Saturday and from 8 p.m. Saturday to 4 a.m. Sunday, and will continue through September. They compliment regular patrols of the Middleboro and Dartmouth barracks.
Maria Papadopoulos may be reached at mpapadopoulos@enterprisenews.com.
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