6-State enforcement effort this weekend

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WDTN) - The Ohio State Highway Patrol is joining forces with members of the 6-State Trooper Project for an OVI enforcement initiative June 29 - 30.

The enforcement effort will include the Indiana State Police, Kentucky State Police, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Pennsylvania State Police and the West Virginia State Police.

Troopers in Ohio will focus on high OVI-related crash areas and utilize OVI checkpoints and high-visibility saturation patrols in an effort to deter impaired driving. Last year 340 OVI-related fatal crashes killed 411 people in Ohio.

“The Ohio State Highway Patrol takes the crime of impaired driving seriously,” explained Colonel John Born, Patrol superintendent. “Impaired driving is a crime that puts innocent people’s lives in danger”

The Patrol will be conducting a total of 18 OVI checkpoints in Athens, Brown, Gallia, Geauga, Hamilton, Huron, Jackson, Jefferson, Lucas, Madison, Mercer, Perry, Preble, Stark and Wood counties this weekend.

Additional OVI saturation patrols will contribute to this effort across Ohio.