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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News AP Entertainment Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Distinctly Northwest Readers' Choice Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Holiday Guide Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend December 12, 2006 DUII arrests through Nov. up in Medford By ANITA BURKE Mail Tribune Medford police have arrested more people on charges of driving under the influence of intoxicants so far this year than in 2005, and they are gearing up for the rest of a busy holiday season. Through the end of November, Medford officers made 465 DUII arrests, up about 10 percent from 422 DUII arrests in the first 11 months of 2005, Lt. Tim George reported. December, with holiday travel, parties and crowds, is usually the busiest month for Medford police when it comes to DUII arrests and the total number of calls, George said. August, with summer travel, long evenings and hot temperatures, is the other top month. Last month Gov. Ted Kulongoski proclaimed December as Drinking and Drugged Driving Awareness Month in Oregon. Oregon State Police, Oregon State Sheriff's Association and Oregon Association Chiefs of Police joined him in kicking off the largest joint DUII-prevention campaign that Oregon has held in several years, with extra patrols planned around the state, an Oregon Department of Transportation media release announced. From this past Friday through Sunday, Medford police arrested eight people on DUII charges. One of the eight was involved in a hit-and-run crash into a utility pole; that driver also was charged with hit and run and reckless driving, George said. Advertisement Oregon State Police arrested five people in Jackson County on DUII charges over the weekend, including one man whose light blue Cadillac broke down on Interstate 5 after sustaining heavy front-end damage when he hit his Medford home before leaving, the OSP incident report said. "High DUII numbers are good; that means we are catching them," George said, noting that impaired drivers are a constant on the roads. "They are always out there," he said. "We will catch up with them sooner or later and we'd rather do it sooner. We want to do it on the prevention side." The Medford department is on track to see a 12 percent increase in the number of DUII arrests over last year, George predicted, estimating the total would top 515 this year. George also estimated that 15 to 20 percent of the people Medford police charged with driving under the influence were under the influence of a substance other than alcohol. Marijuana and methamphetamine are the top two other substances impairing driving, with prescription medication a close third, he said. According to the most recent statistics available from the Oregon Department of Transportation, 1,434 people were charged with driving under the influence of intoxicants in Jackson County in 2004. Twenty-three of that year's 44 fatal crashes here involved alcohol. December is also a busy time for Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), a nonprofit organization that strives to stop drunken driving, prevent underage drinking and support victims of drunken driving. Local organizer Ralph Nelson said the group has displayed a tree of remembrance at the Jackson County Community Justice Building, 1101 W. Main St., Medford, where people can place stars with the names of people killed or injured by intoxicated drivers. They have distributed red ribbons for people to put on cars as a reminder not to drink and drive, and work with local tow companies to get people and their vehicles safely home after a night out. "People need to make the decision on getting home before they have the first drink and common sense goes out the window," Nelson said. Reach reporter Anita Burke at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] . Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Online Casino Reviews Men's Clothing Fundraisers UK Homeowner Loans Discount Hotel Reservations Send Flowers Casinos Canada Texas Electric Choice Compare Electric rates in Texas Windermere Van Vleet Trunks, Footlocker Online poker at AbsolutePoker.com