COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – A total of eight drivers in Branch County were booked at the county jail between the July 4-July 6 on operating while impaired charges, and that was just the beginning of the story for several of them. The State of Michigan’s stepped up drunk-driving enforcement period during the Fourth of July holiday period began July 1and continues until July 12.
From the first of the month until July 3, there were no drinking and driving arrests in Branch County. Then on July 4, Michigan State Police at the Coldwater Post made three such arrests with one man also charged with possession of marijuana. A woman also faces counts of failure to report an accident and driving with a restricted license, and the third arrested driver was a so-called super drunk with a blood alcohol level of .17 or higher.
On Sunday, July 5, Union City Village Police busted a suspected super drunk driver while State Police booked a man for hit and run and open intox in addition to OWI. And then Monday, July 6, it was Bronson City Police that pulled over a man for fleeing and eluding and suspected drunk driving. And State Police booked two drivers on warrants, one for operating under the influence of drugs, the other for OUIL and dangerous drugs.
Through it all, law enforcement agencies in Branch County reported no injury traffic accidents over the long holiday weekend.
