Sobriety

GREENCASTLE, Pa. -- By itself, high school can be an exhausting cocktail of peer pressure. But mix in one part identity crisis and two parts vanity with a splash of self-esteem, then shake with a desire to numb the pain and, for some teens, the cocktail leads to a beverage potent enough to end a life. "One choice can end it, one drink," said Brandon Garlitz, a sophomore at Greencastle-Antrim High School (G-AHS). With prom scheduled for Saturday, a group of students at the high school spent the past week empowering the school with messages of wellness they hope on prom night will make their peers think before reaching for an alcoholic drink.

When police chiefs from across Franklin County, Pa., meet this morning, they're expected to discuss the future of sobriety checkpoints in the county. The Washington Township (Pa.) Supervisors said Wednesday they want to keep the sobriety checkpoint program in place even if theirs is the only municipality to participate. “We find there is merit to the program. Washington Township is not a place to drive drunk,” said Stephen Kulla, chairman of the supervisors. Township Manager Mike Christopher said Washington Township Police Chief Barry Keller writes the grant each year on behalf of all the county departments.

In an effort to reduce the number of impaired drivers on Washington County's roadways, the Washington County Sheriff's Department will conduct sobriety checkpoints at unspecified locations throughout the holiday season, according to a sheriff's office news release. The checkpoints will be set up during evening hours.

The Martinsburg Police Department and members of the West Virginia State Police have announced plans to stage two sobriety checkpoints this weekend. Beginning at 10 p.m. on Saturday, state police will be conducting a checkpoint along U.S. 11 near Evans Run Drive south of Martinsburg, according to a news release. The checkpoint will continue until 4 a.m., Sunday. Martinsburg police will be doing a checkpoint beginning at midnight on Saturday and running through 5 a.m. in the 1200 block of North Queen Street.

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Man arrested after struggle with police Hagerstown police said they arrested a man following a struggle about 8:18 a.m. Wednesday. Keith E. Essex Jr., whose age and address were not released, was charged with attempting to remove a firearm from a police officer, second-degree assault, resisting arrest and malicious destruction of property in connection with the incident at 136 Broadway, police said. Police said Essex resisted as two Hagerstown police officers tried to handcuff him while serving a bench warrant.

Looking out the window of the Maryland State Police's Hagerstown barrack Friday at 3 p.m., Trooper 1st Class R.R. Coccodrilli could see that traffic on Interstate 70 already was showing the strain of the holiday weekend. "Westbound traffic is stopped already," Coccodrilli said. By 7 p.m., traffic was moving again, but slowly, troopers said. A dispatcher for Frederick County Fire and Rescue Communications said westbound traffic there also was slowing by midafternoon. And "awful" was the word used to describe the overall afternoon traffic situation on I-70 and Interstate 270 in Frederick County by a deputy at the sheriff's department there.

Person loses leg in farm accident MERCERSBURG, Pa. - A Saturday afternoon farm accident on Royer Road reportedly resulted in a leg amputation, emergency dispatchers said. A Community Rescue Service ambulance stationed at the Maugansville Goodwill Fire Company responded to the call at 2:43 p.m. The victim, whose identity wasn't available, was airlifted to a hospital in York, Pa. No further information was available. Person taken to hospital after being struck by vehicle FUNKSTOWN - A person struck by a vehicle Saturday afternoon at the intersection of Antietam and Baltimore streets was taken to Washington County Hospital.

By CLYDE FORD Staff Writer, Charles Town RANSON, W.Va. - A Harpers Ferry, W.Va., man filed a lawsuit in Jefferson County Circuit Court last week claiming he was wrongly pulled over and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. The lawsuit by John I. Williams seeks an unspecified amount in damages against Cpl. Brian Mason and the Ranson town government. Chief William Roper declined to comment on the legal action, saying he had not been served with the papers yet. According to the suit, Williams was pulled over on Sept.

The Washington County Sheriff's Office plans to conduct sobriety checkpoints during the evening hours in coming weeks, officials said. The checkpoints, which will be conducted at unspecified locations, are designed to reduce drunken and drugged drivers in the county, according to a sheriff's office news release. The sheriff's office will conduct additional sobriety checkpoints throughout the year, the release said.

The Martinsburg Police Department and members of the West Virginia State Police have announced plans to stage two sobriety checkpoints this weekend. Beginning at 10 p.m. on Saturday, state police will be conducting a checkpoint along U.S. 11 near Evans Run Drive south of Martinsburg, according to a news release. The checkpoint will continue until 4 a.m., Sunday. Martinsburg police will be doing a checkpoint beginning at midnight on Saturday and running through 5 a.m. in the 1200 block of North Queen Street.

West Virginia State Police will be on the look-out for impaired drivers in Jefferson County on Friday, Dec. 2 starting at 9 p.m., police said in a news release. State police and the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department will set up a sobriety checkpoint that evening near Rippon, W.Va. on W.Va. 340 south, just north of the intersection with Wheatland Road. The checkpoint will last until 3 a.m. Dec. 3, police said. A secondary location will be along U.S. 51 (Middleway Pike)

Members of the West Virginia State Police are expected to stage a sobriety checkpoint Thursday, beginning at 8 p.m. along Hedgesville Road near Larkspur Lane near Hedgesville, the police agency announced. The checkpoint is scheduled to continue until 2 a.m., Friday and a secondary location will be on U.S. 11 near the intersection of Evans Run Drive, First Sgt. E.D. Widmeyer said in a news release. The checkpoint is funded through the Commission on Drunk Driving Prevention and focused on the effects of driving impaired on drugs or alcohol, but drivers will be checked for any traffic infractions as well, according to the news release.

When police chiefs from across Franklin County, Pa., meet this morning, they're expected to discuss the future of sobriety checkpoints in the county. The Washington Township (Pa.) Supervisors said Wednesday they want to keep the sobriety checkpoint program in place even if theirs is the only municipality to participate. “We find there is merit to the program. Washington Township is not a place to drive drunk,” said Stephen Kulla, chairman of the supervisors. Township Manager Mike Christopher said Washington Township Police Chief Barry Keller writes the grant each year on behalf of all the county departments.

MCCONNELLSBURG, Pa. -- Five people were arrested for drunken driving at a sobriety checkpoint Friday night and Saturday morning on Lincoln Way East, east of McConnellsburg, according to Pennsylvania State Police. Two of the DUI arrests resulted in parole violations, state police said. The checkpoint, conducted between 11 p.m. Friday and 3 a.m. Saturday, also resulted in the issuance of 22 traffic citations, 22 warnings, two summary criminal arrests for underage drinking and two summary criminal arrests for harassment, state police said.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. -- Five people were charged with driving under the influence during a sobriety checkpoint conducted on U.S. 11 between Minnich and Cornertown roads Friday night and Saturday morning, Pennsylvania State Police said. Troopers stopped 159 motorists between 11 p.m. Friday and 3 a.m. Saturday, police said. In addition to the DUI arrests, one person was charged with public drunkenness and disorderly conduct, police said. Thirty-four warnings were issued for vehicle code infractions, including not wearing seat belts, not having driver's licenses or registration cards, broken headlights and inspection violations, police said.

GREENCASTLE, Pa. -- By itself, high school can be an exhausting cocktail of peer pressure. But mix in one part identity crisis and two parts vanity with a splash of self-esteem, then shake with a desire to numb the pain and, for some teens, the cocktail leads to a beverage potent enough to end a life. "One choice can end it, one drink," said Brandon Garlitz, a sophomore at Greencastle-Antrim High School (G-AHS). With prom scheduled for Saturday, a group of students at the high school spent the past week empowering the school with messages of wellness they hope on prom night will make their peers think before reaching for an alcoholic drink.