Police Conduct DUI Checkpoint On Newtown Bypass After St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations

Even the luck of the Irish couldn’t help a handful of intoxicated drivers.

Officers from various departments from throughout Bucks County checked every car traveling north on the Newtown Bypass in Newtown Township Thursday night and early Friday morning.

By half-way through the overnight St. Patrick’s Day DUI checkpoint, seven drivers had been tested for intoxication, with four being placed into handcuffs after failing field sobriety tests. The number was expected to grow before the checkpoint ended at 3 a.m.

The checkpoint shuffled the two northbound lanes of the Newtown Bypass into one inspection lane between South State Street and Sycamore Street. Officers stood along the inspection lane and stopped every car that went through the checkpoint. A few simple questions, a visual inspection from outside and drivers who didn’t show obvious signs of impairment were back on their way.

The few drivers who appeared intoxicated were asked to step out of their vehicles and walked over to a designated area to perform a field sobriety test. Their cars were pulled to the side and eventually impounded.

One woman, who appeared visibly intoxicated and failed a field sobriety test, had a beer opener hanging around her neck and was decked out in green beads. She was calm at first but burst into tears when she realized the consequences of what was happening to her as officers placed handcuffs on her wrists.

One man who pulled up to the checkpoint was arrested after an officer spotted a bag of suspected marijuana in his pocket.

Officials noted that 26 officers from Bensalem, Middletown, Newtown Borough, Newtown Township, Plumstead, Solebury, Tinicum, Warrington, Warwick, Quakertown and the Pennsylvania State Police assisted at the Newtown Township checkpoint. The Newtown Fire Association had a fire truck on scene and provided support.

Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Long and Newtown-area District Judge Mick Petrucci both observed the checkpoint.

The checkpoint was part of a ramped up multi-jurisdictional effort to curb intoxicated driving in Bucks County. Previous roving DUI patrols on Street Road and on Route 611 took place on Thanksgiving Eve and over the winter holidays.