TRACKING TRENDS: Towns with the most drunk driving arrests
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TRI-CITIES, Wash. -- KEPR Action News is looking into which town has the most drunk driving cases.
It is an epidemic on our roads: drunks getting busted for being behind the wheel and putting lives at risk.
"Part of you wants to grab them by the throat and shake them extremely hard," says Bill Kater.
Bill Kater lost his son to a drunk driver 20 years ago. He now spends his time trying to get drunk drivers to change their ways. It's not an easy job.
KEPR looked into how our towns fare when it comes to drunk driving arrests.
So far this year, there have been 160 DUI arrests in Kennewick. That's the most in all of the Tri-Cities, and also 13 more than a year ago.
Richland is second on the list with 134 cases. That's 30 fewer arrests than a year ago.
And in Pasco, police busted 113 drunk drivers so far. That's one fewer DUI arrest than last year.
"I try not to think about it because I know it happens," Kater says. "There's no way one single person can put a halt to it"
Kennewick may have made the most arrests, but it's by far the largest. There are 670 miles of roads that stretch through Kennewick. That's more than Richland and Pasco combined.
Kennewick has made more arrests, but hasn't increased patrols. Richland and Pasco both have.
"People will drink and that's the hard part," Kater tells Action News. "Where do you intervene? How do you intervene?"
It's a good question, especially when one city slips into another very quickly.
It is an epidemic on our roads: drunks getting busted for being behind the wheel and putting lives at risk.
"Part of you wants to grab them by the throat and shake them extremely hard," says Bill Kater.
Bill Kater lost his son to a drunk driver 20 years ago. He now spends his time trying to get drunk drivers to change their ways. It's not an easy job.
KEPR looked into how our towns fare when it comes to drunk driving arrests.
So far this year, there have been 160 DUI arrests in Kennewick. That's the most in all of the Tri-Cities, and also 13 more than a year ago.
Richland is second on the list with 134 cases. That's 30 fewer arrests than a year ago.
And in Pasco, police busted 113 drunk drivers so far. That's one fewer DUI arrest than last year.
"I try not to think about it because I know it happens," Kater says. "There's no way one single person can put a halt to it"
Kennewick may have made the most arrests, but it's by far the largest. There are 670 miles of roads that stretch through Kennewick. That's more than Richland and Pasco combined.
Kennewick has made more arrests, but hasn't increased patrols. Richland and Pasco both have.
"People will drink and that's the hard part," Kater tells Action News. "Where do you intervene? How do you intervene?"
It's a good question, especially when one city slips into another very quickly.
If you want drunk driving to stop, REALLY.. Then make it so costly it would be unthinkable.. So, having said that, lets take a look at this, 1st. DUI, $1000 fine and Court approved rehab paid for by driver.. 2.nd DUI, $3000 fine, loss of license for 5 years and Court approved driver paid for rehab.. 3rd DUI, permanent loss of license, 3 counts reckless endangerment (retroactive for all DUI's) of "John Q Pulblic, 6 years imprisonment (2 years each count) without parole/ add 6 more years if a child under 18 was in car at time of 3rd DUI for a total of 12 years... That addresses those who cherish money and those who don't but don't want to spend lengthy time in jail.. Make it cost them dearly, not some innocent persons life...