State police to hold DUI checkpoints

BLOOMING GROVE — State police announced they will be holding sobriety checkpoints and roving patrols throughout Pike County this Memorial Day weekend.

State Police Sgt. Brian Vennie stated in a news release that state police out of the Blooming Grove barracks will be patrolling roads throughout the county and setting up sobriety checkpoints in an effort to prevent and deter drinking and driving this weekend. The patrols and checkpoints will begin Thursday and run through Monday.

According to statistics provided by the state police, there have been five fatal driving under the influence (DUI) collisions over the past two years in Pike County. There have been 120 DUI collisions and 316 violations investigated in the county during that timeframe.

Pennsylvania's DUI laws prescribe a legal limit of .08 percent blood alcohol concentration.

Driving under the influence is a misdemeanor offense that can range from a $300 fine and six months probation to fines of up to $5,000 and prison sentences of up to five years. A violator's license can also be suspended.