Early superblitz nets 23 citations

By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — Police jump-started a holiday "superblitz" series of saturation patrols and checkpoints with the earliest checkpoint in at least 10 years, 6-10 p.m., Thursday. The increased enforcement is in effect through Dec. 2.

The checkpoint was in the eastbound lane of Santa Fe Avenue in front of the Monte Carlo Restaurant, said Grants Police Lt. Maxine Spidle.

During the four-hour checkpoint, 375 vehicles passed through, resulting in 23 citations, none for DWI.

The traffic citations were for no insurance, expired or no registration, no driver's license, and non-use or improper use of child restraint seats.

One warrant arrest of Bertina Desidero, 35, of Milan, for failure to appear in Cibola County Magistrate Court, was made, Spidle said.

She said the superblitz project is to find and possibly prevent drivers who drink and drive and keep them from hurting themselves or others.

"Families are together during the holidays. School is out; so you have kids out on the streets during the day. We want to get drunk drivers off the road," she said.

Saturation patrols, where officers concentrate on a specific area for a specific amount of time will not be announced, she said.

The superblitz is part of the ongoing Operations DWI and Buckle Down.

Calling a friend to act as a designated driver means there is no excuse to drink and drive, according to information she provided.

She said information she found from the New Mexico Department of Transportation's Traffic Safety Bureau showed 446 accidents occurred statewide in 2004, the latest statistics available, during the Thanksgiving holiday.

That was 49 more accidents than 2003.

Those accidents resulted in 215 injuries and seven deaths.

"People drink more during the holidays," she said.

She stressed the importance of drivers calling the police department if they think another driver is impaired and may be driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Call the dispatch center at (505) 287-4404, she said, 24 hours a day, seven days a week and provide information such as location, direction of travel, color and make of vehicle, and if possible, the license plate number.

The police department's traffic mission is to reduce accidents, injuries and deaths caused by DWI while at the same time increase the use of seat belts and child safety seats.

The police department has free child safety seats for any family that qualifies by income, available 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Applicants must speak to an officer and have proof of income.

To contact reporter Jim Tiffin, call (505) 287-2197 or e-mail: jtiffin.independent@yahoo.com.