HASTINGS, Minn. - So far in 2019, Minnesota law enforcement have made more than 16,000 driving while intoxicated arrests. Those numbers are up more than this time of year in 2018.
Officers, deputies, and troopers are working overtime shifts during an August 16 through September 2 extra DWI enforcement campaign.
"It's frustrating when you see a drunk driver because you know they could have seriously injured or killed somebody by their decisions and we just want people to think about those things. You may have the thought that you're going to make it home, but at the end of the day, you're taking a risk and you're not just risking your life, you're risking other lives as well," says Minnesota State Patrol Lt. Gordon Shank.
"There is no excuse to find yourself in the backseat of a squad car, and ambulance, or even a hearse. There are too many options out there in both Metro Minnesota and Greater Minnesota," says Office of Traffic Safety Director Mike Hanson.
To learn about one of the possible consequences of drunk driving: jail, KIMT News 3's Annalise Johnson went through the jail intake process at the Dakota County Jail. She was in handcuffs, pat down, fingerprinted, and put in a cell. If you're arrested for drunk driving, you can also lose your license. The most serious possible outcome is killing yourself or someone else.
