Sheriff's Office: 4th of July Holiday weekend Operations & Public Advisories
El Paso County Sheriff's Office
3850 Justice Dr. El Paso, Texas 79938
NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Deputy Jesse Tovar / Public Information Officer
Direct: (915) 538-2223
Pager: (915) 533-0733 (#5370)
Release Date & Time: Wednesday, July 2, 2008 11:30 AM
WHO: El Paso County Sheriff's Office
WHAT: 4th of July Holiday weekend Operations & Public Advisories
WHERE: El Paso County, Texas
WHEN: Friday, July 4 -Saturday, July 5, 2008
WHY: Holiday weekend
INFORMATION:
Public Affairs: PIO On-Call for 4th of July Holiday
Friday, July 4th, 2008
Deputy Eduardo Placencia will be the on-duty Public Information Officer and point of contact with the News Media.
Contact: Deputy Eduardo Placencia / PIO- Public Affairs Section
Pager: (915) 533-0733 (#5248)
EMAIL: eplacencia@epcounty.com
Deputy Placencia will be available only by pager. You can reach him through dispatch at (915) 546-2280 or page him directly (915) 533-0733, his pager # 5248. You can also reach him by email at: eplacencia@epcounty.com
Deputy Placencia will only respond on scene regarding major incidents: Fatality, Homicide, SWAT, CNT, and Search & Rescue calls.
The 4th of July is one of the busiest holidays for our office. Please contact Deputy Placencia only if necessary.
MONTANA CLOSURES:
For the 4th of July holiday, The El Paso County Sheriff's will be closing off several intersections along Montana Ave. Each intersection will have barricades & some will have a Sheriff Deputy assigned. The public will not be allowed to travel into these residential areas. Only residents of this community will be allowed to pass.
The following streets will be blocked off:
- Flager St.
- Suwanne St.
- Vista del Este St.
- Las Casitas Ave.
- Krag St.
- Buntline Dr.
- Desert Meadows Rd.
- Oshea Dr.
- Acacia Dr.
- Century Dr.
- Edward Williams Dr.
- Snoqualmie Dr.
- Oleary
A reminder to the public that parking is not allowed along Montana Avenue (Highway 62/180) or on the shoulders or medians. These areas must be cleared for traffic & emergency vehicles. ALL TRAFFIC LAWS & TRAFFIC SIGNS MUST BE OBEYED.
(Map below courtesy EPSO)
4th of JULY HOLIDAY DWI ENFORCEMENT 2008 CONTINUES:
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office with the Texas Department of Transportation Education & Enforcement will be utilizing a GRANT for additional patrols for traffic enforcement. The purpose of this program is aimed at getting speeding & impaired drivers off the roadways. Extra Deputies Officers will be out on the streets during the Independence Day Holiday period. The push is to deter drunk driving. The enforcement program begins Friday, June 27th, 2008 through Sunday, July 6th, 2008.
Statistics from the Texas Department of Transportation indicate Texas leads the nation when it comes to the number of traffic fatalities where the driver or motorcycle operator was legally drunk. Last year 1,677 people died in alcohol-related crashes in Texas.
Penalties for a first-time DWI offense include :
- Up to $2,000 fine
- 72 hours to 6 months in Jail
- Driver’s license suspension for up to one year
- $1,000 annual fee for 3 consecutive years to retain drivers license
We will also be focusing on other law enforcement issues:
- Possession of Alcohol by a Minor
- Purchase of Alcohol by a Minor
- Attempt to Purchase Alcohol by a Minor
- Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor
- Misrepresentation of Age by a Minor
- Driving Under Influence of Alcohol by a Minor
- Sale to a Minor
- Purchase of Alcohol for a Minor
- Furnishing Alcohol to a Minor
Our Agency will patrol and arrest / ticket drivers who ignore traffic laws. We continue to enforce the zero tolerance on seat belt/child safety seat use and drinking and driving. We will also focus on aggressive driving, and those who fail to obey the speed limit.
“Zero tolerance means exactly that. We expect the motoring public to be extra mindful of all traffic laws. Our concern is in a split second a driver is facing a life-altering decision with grave consequences. Our advice is simple: designate a sober driver in advance or call a cab to get home safely. We want everyone to have a safe & pleasant Independence Day Holiday," said Sheriff Jimmy Apodaca, El Paso County Sheriff’s