DUI arrests up sharply as state troopers crack down on impaired driving

SEATTLE - Drunken driving arrests are skyrocketing in King County this year and elsewhere across Western Washington. And now the State Patrol is warning drivers not to get behind the wheel if they have been drinking.

As of Nov. 30, there have been some 2,565 DUI arrests in King County alone this year. That compares with 1,999 arrests in the same period last year - a 22 percent increase.

Just in the past week, two state troopers' patrol cars have been struck by suspected drunken drivers.

It happened first to Sgt. Keith Leary on Thursday night as he was helping with a previous DUI arrest. A woman swerved and hit the back of his patrol car with her side mirror, then kept going. Another trooper went after her and took her into custody.

No one was hurt, but Leary says, "Couple more inches, it could have been a different story."

On Friday night, it happened again when a suspected drunk driver slammed into a trooper’s car in Federal Way. Luckily, that trooper was not hurt.

"It just reminds us why we are doing of what we’re doing," says Trooper Chase Van Cleave. "We want to make it through the holiday season with no tragedies."

Yolanda Trout-Manuel, an Auburn city council member, says she still grieves over the loss of her brother, who was killed when a drunken driver swerved into this lane on Highway 12 and hit him head-on.

Now she stresses the importance of keeping the state’s roads safe during the holidays.

"Have a backup," she says. "Have a plan before you go to these events. Have a designated driver. Have a taxi. Have Uber. Have whatever you want to make it safe for the person to get home. ... Be accountable. Just be aware of the affects that will happen."

Law enforcement agencies across the state now have launched a new campaign to crack down on drunk drivers during the holidays. That means more troopers and police will be out looking for impaired drivers.

They say it's OK to celebrate during the holidays, but it’s important to have a plan on how to safely get home if you plan on drinking.