‘Operation Wrong Exit’ this weekend to target impaired drivers in Twiggs County

Law enforcement agencies conduct sobriety checkpoints aimed at reducing crashes, injuries and fatalities

TWIGGS COUNTY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Law enforcement agencies in Twiggs County are targeting impaired drivers this weekend as part of Operation Wrong Exit.

The Twiggs County Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement agencies will conduct sobriety checkpoints. The checkpoints are staffed with trained officers, including drug recognition experts and ARIDE certified personnel.

Officials say the operation helps reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities.

Roger Hayes, director of law enforcement for the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, says efforts like these help save lives and encourage drivers to make safer choices on the road.

“We have a lot of fatalities in the state,” he said. “Thank goodness we’re down in the state this year 21%, which equates to 53 lives that have been saved because of better driving and law enforcement as well. So we’re just trying to keep the word and make people be aware, get them to just slow down, drive the speed limit, wear that seatbelt, put the phone down, and certainly not drive impaired.”

The operation began Friday and will continue through midnight Sunday.

Last year’s two-day operation resulted in 62 arrests with 24 of them resulting in felony charges. According to the sheriff’s office, 31 DUI contacts were made, 11 adult seat belt and six child seat belt violations were cited and five wanted fugitives were caught. There were 11 open container violations, 15 suspended drivers, 23 misdemeanor drug citations and one underage alcohol citation.