Several cited for violations at OVI checkpoints in Boardman

Staff report

CANFIELD

Members of the Mahoning County Operating a Vehicle Impaired Task Force, in collaboration with the Ohio State Highway Patrol, issued several citations conducted at two sobriety checkpoints last weekend.

The checkpoint on South Avenue at Larkridge in Boardman was conducted from 10 p.m. to midnight Friday. The checkpoint on U.S. Route 224 at Marinthana Drive, also in Boardman, was conducted from 1 to 3 a.m. Saturday.

Two task force officers and four troopers from the Ohio State Highway Patrol also conducted saturation patrols in support of both checkpoints.

A total of 618 vehicles passed through the checkpoints. There were 13 vehicles that were directed into the diversion area for further investigation. Officers on saturation patrol conducted 29 traffic stops.

Enforcement activity associated with the checkpoints and saturation patrol were as follows: five arrests for OVI, 10 summonses for driving under suspension, four summonses for driving without an operator’s license, six citations for not using seat belts, four arrests for drug abuse, nine summonses for possession of drug paraphernalia, one arrest for obstructing official business, two arrests on warrants, one citation for reckless operation, two citations for failure to obey a traffic-control device, one citation for making a prohibited U-turn, one citation for improper passing, one citation for driving with an expired registration, one citation for driving with an expired temporary tag and one citation for prohibited window tint.

There were three felony arrests for carrying a concealed weapon, drug abuse and drug trafficking.

Task force agencies participating in the checkpoints were Canfield, Boardman, Goshen, Jackson, Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office, Mill Creek MetroParks, New Middletown and Struthers.