' * • \ a ;- - : •• « 7W9W9W9 V JUU 15 W» <*». I í Cl Page A 2 D ecem ber 29, 1999 (Thv ÿtarUiWÎ* (ßbam ier fio rtlan à B (Rbserurr § Police News/Vancouver Drinking & driving is not only dangerous, it’s costly Crimestoppers DUII conviction can cost thousands of dollars mu Tm P ortland O bslrs er “ M any drivers stay sober sim ply because it’s the safe thing to do, but for others, m oney talks,” said John Vrijm oet, general m anager o f Progressive Insurance in O regon. “ W hen people know the dollar and cents costs o f a DUII conviction, it gives them yet another reason to avoid the risks o fd riv in g under the influence.” In O regon, the penalties for a first-tim e offense o fd n v in g under the influence o f intoxicants (D U II) include fines as high as $5,000, license suspension, and/ o r up to one year in jail. The offender can expect to pay bondsm en fees, law yer fees, and court costs that often total thousands o f dollars. In addition, insurance coverage may be term inated, o r at the very least, insurance prem ium s w ill increase for the convicted driver. The increase varies by com pany, state and individual. A ccording to the O regon D epartm ent o f T ransportation, there w ere 22,841 DUII arrests in the state during 1998, and seven alcohol-related fatalities during the C hristm as and N ew Y ear’s holidays. Law enforcem ent is taking aggressive steps against drunk driving, and w ith all the excitem ent o f Y 2K , there will be increased enforcem ent over the holidays. A so fJan u ary 1,2000, a fourth DU II conviction (in a 10-yearperiod)w illcarry a m axim um five-year jail sentence, $ 100,000 fine, or both. This new O regon law also im poses a m inim um $ 1,000 fine on first-tim e offenders. A DUII is cited in O regon w hen drivers have a blood alcohol level (B AC) o f 0.08 percent or higher. For many drivers, a0.08 percent B AC could register after a single five-ounce glass o f w ine, 12-ounce beer, or shot o f 8 0 -p ro o f liquor. “W e encourage O regon drivers to use good ju d g m en t w hile celebrating this holiday season,” V rijm oet said. “T hat includes know ing your limits and calling a cab for y o u rself or a friend after drinking.” Clark County moves forward with Y 2K readiness measures Sheriff’s Office and Public W orks D e p a rtm e n t prepared to respond to em ergency if situ atio n s necessary CONTRIBUTED STORY for T he P ortland O bserver A ••.i i ■r •4 i.V !» ; a ’ ■# VÎ .-. / K; t &3 ■,. 5* L’ a >• », >2 C lark C ounty has been planning for Y 2K for a w hile, now only a w eek away; final preparations are now being com pleted. Sheriff’s O ffice staffing at full bore. For the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, m uch o f the forces are on deterring p ro blem s and on being ready to respond to them should they occur. T heir plans encom pass the entire w eekend, not ju st N ew Y ear’s Eve, w ith com m anders on duty as w ell as a d d itio n a l d e p u tie s an d rese rv e d ep u ties w o rk in g patrol in each precinct. A rrangem ents have been m ade for em ergency back up plans in case either precinct loses pow er. “A lthough w e d o n ’t anticipate any specificproblems,” saidChiefCriminal I í í ¿1 A i'- i ÿ X- ■ • ' ■ • * * * * ** *.** .‘v-1 • U