Patrol enforcement effort reaches 700-plus drivers

GRANVILLE – Ohio Highway Patrol troopers issued more than 400 tickets during an enforcement initiative earlier this month.

According to a news release from the Granville post, more than 730 drivers were stopped during enforcement between Aug. 10 and 23. The increase in patrols was due to several fatal crashes earlier this summer across the county.

The enforcement was targeting excessive speed and seat belt violations.

According to the news release, 487 citations were issued during the two-week period, 147 of which were for seat belt violations.

More than 200 additional warnings and vehicle defect notifications also were issued during that time period.

A checkpoint conducted Friday night on Ohio 79 to catch impaired drivers saw 422 drivers pass through. No arrests were made out of the checkpoint; however, two arrests were made through saturation patrols in the area near the checkpoint.

Lt. Kevin Miller said in the release that drivers in Licking County should expect to continue seeing increased patrols and troopers watching for seat belt violations. Increased patrols also are going to be conducted with the Labor Day holiday weekend approaching.