The Montgomery County Police Alcohol Holiday Task Force has been hard at work this holiday season, conducting a specialized operation to clamp down on alcohol-related offenses. In their fifth week of enforcement, specifically from December 18 through December 21, the task force arrested 27 individuals on charges of driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol and/or drugs, according to the Montgomery County news release.
One notable incident occurred on December 21 at around 12:53 a.m., when officers pulled over a driver on I-270 near exit 13. Exhibiting clear signs of impairment, the driver was subjected to the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests, which they failed, leading to their arrest for DUI. A subsequent personal search revealed a loaded 9mm handgun. Despite having a valid concealed carry permit in Maryland, the driver faced additional criminal charges for possessing a firearm while under the influence, with the gun being seized by officers.
Shortly thereafter, another driver was stopped at 1:23 a.m. in the 500 block of Quince Orchard Road. This driver also showed symptoms of impairment, performed poorly on sobriety tests, and was consequently arrested for DUI. During a search of the vehicle, officers discovered three handguns and a long gun, and the driver was charged with both DUI and firearms offenses.
It's important to note that these arrests are solely those made by the task force officers and do not reflect the comprehensive efforts of patrol officers during this time. The total number of DUI arrests is, in fact, higher when including all law enforcement activities. More details about the task force's enforcement operations can be found on Montgomery County's official website.
