St. Tammany checkpoints result in 4 DWI arrests

BUSH — There was one arrest for DWI and another for possession of a schedule II narcotic during a sobriety checkpoint operation between 12:15 and 2:34 a.m. Sunday morning at the intersection of Louisiana 21 and Louisiana 40 at the Fifth Ward School.

Officers of the Louisiana State Police (LSP) Troop L and St. Tammanay Parish Sheriff's Office operated the checkpoint, as well as another on Highway 41, just north of the intersection with Highway 36 near Pearl River.

In the Bush operation, officers screened 101 vehicles and performed three field sobriety checks.

Near Pearl River, officers screened 147 vehicles, performed five field sobriety tests and arrested three for DWI. Additionally, one driver was charged with possession of marijuana.

The Pearl River operation lasted from 8:15 until 11:55 p.m..

On Friday, troopers working with the Bogalusa Police Department screened 270 vehicles, charged three drivers with DWI and issued a summons to a fourth for what was described as a small amount of marijuana. 

Checkpoint yields 3 drunk drivers, weed

There were three arrests for DWI and another for possession of marijuana during a sobriety checkpoint operation between 9 p.m. Friday and 2 a.m. Saturday.

Officers of the Louisiana State Police (LSP) Troop L and Bogalusa Police Department operated the checkpoint at Louisiana 21 and City Limits Road, on the extreme northern edge of the city.

LSP Trooper Nick Manale said three drivers were arrested on charges of DWI and that a fourth driver was issued a summons for possession of what was described as a small amount of marijuana. Manale said the marijuana was seized and logged into evidence by the Bogalusa Police Department.

A total of 270 vehicles were screened during the five-hour operation and six field sobriety tests were administered.

Manale said, "Every year on the highways across the state of Louisiana, numerous people are killed or injured by impaired drivers. Sobriety checkpoints are an effective enforcement tool serving as a deterrent to impaired and drunken driving."

Two other sobriety checkpoints were held in St. Tammany Parish on Saturday, including one in the Sun and Bush area.

Sobriety checkpoints under way in Washington Parish

Since 9 p.m. tonight, members of the Louisiana State Police, with assistance from the Bogalusa Police, Franklinton Police and Washington Parish Sheriff's Office, have been conducting sobriety checkpoints.

Trooper Nick Manale of Troop L said, "Every year on the highways across the state of Louisiana, numerous people are killed or injured by impaired drivers. Sobriety checkpoints are an effective enforcement tool serving as a deterrent to impaired and drunken driving."


On Tuesday, 25-year-old Mitchell Wayne Polkey of Bogalusa was indicted for vehicular homicide in connection with the May 5 death of 84-year-old Carl Edward Harrell. According to reports from the Mandeville Police Department, Polkey was driving on the U.S. 190 Service Road near Banner Ford when he lost control. The vehicle left the roadway and hit a tree.


At the time, Polkey was arrested on multiple charges — including a second-offense DWI.


"The task of stopping these impaired drivers is a joint effort of law enforcement agencies and the public," Manale added. "By never allowing an impaired driver to get behind the wheel of a vehicle and reporting dangerous drivers to law enforcement, the public can play an important role in the reduction of crashes caused by impaired drivers."


If you see someone you suspect is driving impaired, call the Louisiana State Police by dialing *577 on your cell phone.