Casper DUIs 'out of control'.. ( Hey.. It's Cheney country)

[SoCalDem]

There are right around 50K who live there..I guess everyone's bored out of their gourds, so they drink?
..........
Casper DUIs 'out of control'
http://www.trib.com/articles/2007/04/29/news/casper/f04758ae32db9187872572ca0003dde4.txt
By JOSHUA WOLFSON
Star-Tribune staff writer Sunday, April 29, 2007

Casper police are on pace to shatter last year's record number of drunk driving arrests.

Through the first three months of the year, Casper police officers made 151 driving under the influence arrests, according to figures provided by the department. If that pace continues, Casper police will make more than 600 such arrests this year.

"That is a dangerous trend we are seeing," said Casper Police Chief Tom Pagel. "You get to the point where we're rolling the dice and somebody is going to die.

"In my opinion, this is out of control," he said.

Casper police in 2006 made 100 DUI arrests through the first three months and a total of 533 for the year. That was an all-time high, but it will be smashed if drunk driving arrests continue at the current pace.

Two years ago, Casper police made 375 DUI arrests.

Given that there aren't more officers patrolling Casper, the rise in arrests appears to be caused by more drunk drivers on Casper streets, Pagel said. He called drunk driving one of the most pressing problems facing the city.

"Everyone has a personal responsibility to make sure they don't drink and drive," he said.

snip

[lapfog_1]

1. When times are hard... people drink

especially if they somehow feel responsible. They might well be drowning their "buyers remorse" over a certain Commander Bunnypants and DeadEye Dick.

[MADem]

2. Many years ago, I drove through Wyoming enroute to Salt Lake City

(Well, actually, I was on my way to the west coast, but I was stopping for a visit with a friend trapped in SLC).

I knew there were some squirrly booze laws in Utah, so I figured I'd buy some wine as a "Thanks for the Crash Pad" gift to my hosts. I ended up getting it in a DRIVE-THRU liquor store, where people in front of me in the line (it was like a damned McDonalds!) were getting cold beers and driving off!

Never saw anything like that before!

[xchrom]

3. it's like growing up in peoria -- that's all there is to do.

it's not good -- but i know why they do it.

[bahrbearian]

4. Why do they keep letting Cheney back behind the wheel?

[mwb970]

5. I'd much rather see him under the wheels! /nt