Media

Traffic Safety Effort Targeting Teen Drivers Yields 95 Violations Last Evening

Release Date: June 24, 2005

Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputies and officers with the Metro D.U.I. Squad conducted a traffic enforcement effort yesterday evening in the area near the Memphis Motor Sports Park in North Shelby County.

Officers say up to a thousand young people routinely attend events at the racetrack not far from Highway 51 near Millington. There have been reports that some of the young people have been driving recklessly, speeding, and driving without their seatbelts.

Just after six o’clock last evening, officers fanned out to patrol the area near the raceway. By eleven o’clock, officers had given out 80 traffic citations, 35 courtesy citations, and issued eight (8) misdemeanor citations, five (5) for traffic charges and three for people under the age of 21 who had alcohol in their possession.

Those who received misdemeanor citations will have to report to the Shelby County Jail Annex to be booked and fingerprinted in the Criminal History, Records and Identification Division.

Also arrested last night was one adult who was charged with impaired driving along with another person wanted on outstanding charges of being a habitual motor vehicle violation offender.

The traffic enforcement initiative was funded by a grant from the Governor’s Highway Safety Office. This year, the Sheriff’s Office has a goal of reducing the number of people killed or hurt in traffic crashes, especially those involving teenage drivers.

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