Statewide effort honoring fallen troopers results in arrest of 32 suspected DUI drivers
More than 30 people suspected of driving under the influence were arrested Saturday during a statewide enforcement effort named in honor of two Nevada Highway Patrol officers killed by a drunk driver one year ago.
State and local law enforcement agencies conducted the night-long DUI enforcement campaign to mark the one-year anniversary of the deaths of Sgt. Michael Abbate and Trooper Alberto Felix, who were killed by an impaired driver on Interstate 15 near downtown Las Vegas.
The effort resulted 540 vehicle stops, 255 citations issued, 32 arrests of motorists suspected of driving under the influence and 13 other arrests, according to totals released Monday by the Nevada Highway Patrol.
Participating law enforcement partners included: the Nevada State Police Highway Patrol Division, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, city of Las Vegas Marshals, Clark County School District Police, North Las Vegas Police Department, Boulder City Police Department, Reno Police Department, Washoe County Sheriff’s Office and the Carson City Sheriff’s Office.
Each agency worked different hours that evening – however, in general, the operation ran from about 5 p.m. Saturday to 6 a.m., Sunday, said Kim Yoko Smith, spokeswoman for the Nevada State Police.
Abbate and Felix were stopped on I-15 near D Street when a car driven by Jemarcus Williams struck their vehicle. Williams sped off after the crash. In June, he pleaded guilty to two counts of DUI resulting in death and received a maximum possible sentence of 16 to 40 years in prison.
Contact Marvin Clemons at mclemons@reviewjournal.com.
