Law enforcement agencies throughout the state of North Carolina set up DWI checkpoints over the holiday weekend. The stepped up enforcement was part of what is known as Operation Firecracker. This campaign is run every Fourth of July holiday week and is aimed at detecting and deterring drunk driving. Last year the campaign yielded 1,937 DWI arrests in the state. During the holiday weekend last year there were also 361 alcohol-related accidents and 17 fatalities as a result.
The initial numbers of DWI arrests and accidents during the holiday weekend are just now starting to be reported. One police department has already released arrest numbers from a checkpoint that was set up over the holiday weekend. The Wilson Police Department set up a DWI checkpoint on Friday which ran from 10 pm until 2 am Saturday. Police arrested four people for DWI during the checkpoint. In addition police arrested three people on drug related charges and issued several citations.
