Police search for drunk drivers

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - While you were sleeping, Newport News and Virginia Beach Police were keeping your streets safer with DUI checkpoints.

Virginia Beach Police stopped more than 600 cars and made nine DUI arrests overnight Wednesday into Thursday. In addition to that, they made three felony arrests and issued dozens of traffic summonses.

The first of three checkpoints in Virginia Beach started at 8:00pm Wednesday along Dam Neck Road. Police say they checked nearly 300 cars and while they issued no DUIs, they did make an important discovery.

They say they found one man who shouldn't be driving because of crimes he committed behind the wheel.

"The person has accumulated so many convictions for various offenses such as suspended license or DUI that the DMV has classified them as a habitual offender. He had three previous convictions, one misdemeanor, two felonies, so this fourth offense was another felony," says Sgt. Chris Hession of the Virginia Beach Police Department.

The next checkpoint was along Great Neck Road where out of the 237 cars stopped, 5 had drunk drivers according to Sgt. Hession.

"We don't mind people going out and having a good time, but if they decide to drink, we just ask them, don't drive."

The final checkpoint began at midnight on the on ramp of 264 off of Independence Boulevard. If police suspected a driver had too much to drink, it was out of the car and into a sobriety test.

WAVY.com watched as one driver driver passed the sobriety test and was allowed to drive off, but we saw another who failed. His St. Patrick's Day celebration ended in handcuffs and seated in the back of a police car.

Sgt. Hession says police also issued two felony charges, one for drugs, another for a felony warrant that was on file for a driver.

Sgt. Hession says the night was a huge success.

"Hopefully we saved a life tonight."

Volunteers with Drive Safe Hampton Roads helped out at the checkpoints in both Virginia Beach and Newport News overnight. Both police departments have one goal and that is to keep you alive and safe.