Kansas City area home improvement company owner arrested after "assist the officer" call in JoCo

Posted: August 10, 2019 - 8:28 p.m.
Updated: August 12, 2019 - 3:04 p.m.

Johnson County Sheriff's Deputies arrested a man after responding on a reported "pending disturbance" late Friday evening.

John Michael Bartrom, 42
Johnson County Sherriff's Office booking photo

Sheriff's Office booking logs show, 42-year-old, John M. Bartrom was arrested at 11:03 p.m.

Bartrom is the owner of Jericho Home Improvements according to the company website and lists himself as the chief executive officer and founder of the company on LinkedIn.

Johnson County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer, Deputy Claire Canaan confirms deputies were initially called to the home at 18720 Mission Road, in Stilwell, shortly before 10 p.m.

Bartrom and his wife are listed as owners of the home on Mission Road according to Johnson County property records.

Deputies were initially called to the home at 18720 Mission Road in Stilwell, by a family member who did not want an intoxicated man to leave the house in a vehicle, according to recorded radio traffic.

Recorded radio traffic indicates the man was able to leave in a 2017 Nissan Titan, registered to the business, before deputies could arrive at the address.

The truck reportedly returned to the home about 10:40 p.m. and the male driving went inside the house.

At 10:54, deputies requested additional units respond, saying that they have contact with the man inside the house, but he's "argumentative."

"While on scene at the house, the subject became uncooperative and began fighting with deputies resulting in an 'assist the officer' to go out," Deputy Canaan said in an emailed response to questions.

An 'assist the officer' is a call for emergency assistance from any nearby law enforcement.

The 'assist the officer' was canceled about two minutes later, with deputies reporting the suspect is detained.

Officers from the Overland Park Police Department and Johnson County Parks Police also assisted with the call. Several other agencies had officers responding, who were disregarded when Bartrom was taken into custody.

Radio traffic from one deputy, who requested an ambulance for Bartrom, stated there were "four taser deployments," and a "possible head injury."

Deputy Canaan confirms no deputies or officers were injured during the call.

On Saturday, John M. Bartrom was charged with; battery of a law enforcement officer with contact, obstruction of the legal process, and DUI. All charges are listed as misdemeanors.

Bartrom was booked into the Johnson County Adult Detention Center at 5:08 Saturday morning. He posted $7,500, through a bonding company, and was released from custody at 5:27 Saturday evening.

His next court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday, August 20 in Johnson County District Court.

Operation 100 News has reached out to Jericho Home Improvements for comment. These messages have not been returned.

Check back with this report for updates as more information becomes available.

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Two injured in reported head-on crash in Merriam

Posted: January 2, 2019 - 12:17 a.m.

Police continue to investigate after two people were injured in a crash on a busy Johnson County road on Tuesday afternoon.

Merriam Police say the crash happened just after 2 p.m. in the westbound lanes of 75th Street on the bridge over Interstate 35.

Overland Park Fire Department firefighters arrived to find one of the heavily damaged vehicles on fire and both drivers outside of the cars.

Johnson County Med-Act transported two men to the Overland Park Regional Medical Center. Police say their injuries are non-life threatening. One of the men is in his late teens, and the other is in his late-20s.

Recorded radio traffic indicates one of the men admitted to drinking "about five beers" before the crash and told police that he was not wearing a seat belt. Radio traffic also stated that witnesses told police this was a head-on crash and at least one of the drivers was ejected through the windshield of his vehicle.

The westbound lanes of 75th Street over Interstate 35 remain closed for several hours as police investigated the crash. All lanes reopened about 9:30 Tuesday evening.

Police have not released the names of the drivers.

The Kansas Highway Patrol, Overland Park Police Department, and the Shawnee Police Department assisted Merriam police at the scene.

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Woman arrested after crashing car into mailboxes and house

Posted: March 13, 2015 - 5:06am

A man who lives in the damaged home assesses the damage with police
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Shawnee Police say they arrested a woman for driving under the influence after she crashed her car early Friday.

Officers were called to an address in the 7300 block of Charles Street around 1:15 a.m. by a homeowner who reported a car had crashed into his home's garage.

Damage to the home appeared to be contained to a garage door and one exterior wall. Officers could be seen photographing an exterior wall that was bowed out slightly, on the side of the garage.

Officers used tape to make a line on the pavement for the field sobriety tests
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Additional photos below this report

An officer at the scene confirmed that two mailboxes were damaged in the 7400 block of Charles and then the garage door of the home in the 7300 block was struck by the same vehicle. The driver remained at the scene and was not injured. The officer said he could not provide any other information.

The woman was driving northbound on Charles Street. Both of the mailboxes and the home are on the east side of the street.

An officer surveys the damage mailboxes for his report
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Officers could be seen performing field sobriety tests on the female driver before putting her in handcuffs and then into the back of a patrol vehicle.

The woman was transported to Shawnee Police headquarters for booking. As of this report, she has not been booked into the county jail.

Operation 100 News requested to speak with a sergeant who was at the scene for a few questions. The sergeant left the scene without offering any comment.

The woman could be seen hopping as she tried to maintain her balance on one foot
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Three officers and a sergeant place the woman in handcuffs after completing the field sobriety tests
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The woman talks to an officer from the backseat of a patrol vehicle
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A tow truck operator removes the suspect vehicle from the home's driveway
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After striking two mailboxes, the car came continued north, where it struck a house. The damaged home is in front of the police vehicle in this image.
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Check back with Operation 100 News on this blog and on Twitter for the latest details as they become available. Remember where you heard this news first, Operation 100 News, reporting the news to the public as it breaks.

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PHOTOS: Lenexa man injured when car clips Shawnee home, hits tree

Posted: April 7, 2014 - 1:37am
Updated: April 7, 2014 - 12:50pm

Operation 100 News - Mike Frizzell photo
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Additional scene photos below report

A 32-year-old Lenexa man was injured Monday morning when he lost control of his vehicle along Blackfish Parkway and brushed against a house before colliding head-on with a tree, authorities said.

The accident occurred around 12:40 a.m. as Matthew Thomas Leeper was traveling west on Blackfish Parkway near Pflumm Road. Leeper's Lexus sedan jumped a curb and drove through a yard on the south side of Blackfish, narrowly missing a wooden privacy fence.

Tire marks in the grass show the car then crossed both lanes of Blackfish to the north side grass, where it ricocheted off of a ground level electrical transformer, plowed through two sides of a wooden privacy fence, scraped along the side of a home's foundation and struck a tree.

Officers at the scene said Leeper was transported to an area hospital with a serious head injury.

No residents were injured and the home that the car struck did not sustain any structural damage.

Shawnee firefighters stood by with the damaged ground transformer until KCP&L could arrive to survey the damage. Several large wires could be seen sticking out of the ground.

A firefighter at the scene said this is the third single car accident that he can remember responding to on the same stretch of Blackfish Parkway. He said the home on the northeast corner of Summit Street and Blackfish Parkway has been struck at least once and another home near the corner of Blackfish Parkway and Pflumm Road was struck in December 2011.

The home involved in the 2011 accident is the same address where the vehicle involved in Monday's accident first left the roadway, narrowly missing the privacy fence. A report, with photos, on the 2011 accident can be found here.

In 2012, a vehicle crashed through a privacy fence of a home at Blackfish Parkway and Park Street. The residents of another home on Blackfish Parkway have replaced their mailbox at least twice due to vehicles leaving the road and crashing into it.

Shawnee Police photographing the vehicle and tree
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Fence pieces and the damage to the side of the home
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First section of fence the car crashed through
Car can be seen in the background of this photo
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Shawnee firefighters and police officers standing near the damaged ground transformer
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The second section of fence the car crashed through, the home and the car that were involved
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The car and tree involved as the tow truck was loading
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The car as the tow truck was loading it
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Related report:

Operation 100 News report on ShawneeDispatch.com

Stay with Operation 100 News on this blog and on Twitter for the latest details as they become available. Remember where you heard this news first, Operation 100 News, reporting the news to the public as it breaks.

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Friday night sobriety checkpoint

Posted: April 19, 2013 - 2:37pm

The Johnson County Sheriff's Office will be conducting a sobriety checkpoint tonight into early tomorrow morning.

In as statement released Friday morning, Master Deputy Tom Erickson says that a sobriety checkpoint will be held in Johnson County Friday, April 19th into Saturday, April 20th. Drivers suspected of being intoxicated will be given brief sobriety tests and those drivers who are confirmed to be impaired will be arrested.

Efforts will be made to not severely interrupt the flow of traffic. The Sheriff's Office says that citizen's patience and cooperation will assist with this important safety effort.

The exact location of the checkpoint is not released and will not be published by Operation 100 News until after it has concluded.

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12 people arrested in overnight check lane

Posted: April 6, 2013 - 4:27am

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Photo provided Britt Nelson
Not to be reused in any way without direct permission

Mission Police say they checked 335 cars and tested 61 drivers during this morning's DUI check lane. A total of 12 arrests were made, including six for driving under the influence, two for driving while impaired and six for six for drug related offenses.

A news release this morning did not specify how many of those violations resulted in citations or what other violations may have been cited during the check lane.


The check lane was open from 10 p.m. until 3 a.m. and included officers from Mission, Merriam, Olathe, Prairie Village, Overland Park, Gardner, Spring Hill, and Lenexa. Deputies from the Johnson County Sheriff's Office and Troopers from the Kansas Highway Patrol also assisted in the operation.

In a statement, Captain David Moloy of the Mission Police Department says, "the effectiveness of sobriety checkpoints lies not only in the fear of being arrested, but also in the number of people who plan in advance to take cabs home after drinking. This has truly made our streets safer by reducing the number of intoxicated drivers on our roadways."

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Olathe check lane results released

Posted: April 2, 2013 - 12:36am
Updated: April 2, 2013 - 1:15am

Olathe Police have released their results of a DUI check lane from this last weekend. The check lane was held in the eastbound lanes of Santa Fe Street at N. Lindenwood Drive, just east of Interstate 35.

Olathe Police also conducted alcohol compliance checks at local businesses which sell alcohol. More information regarding those compliance checks can be found here.

Photo from the cleck lane - Click image to view larger
Photo provided Britt Nelson
Not to be reused in any way without direct permission

Police say the check lane was opened around 10 p.m. and remained in place until 3 a.m.. Here is a look at the results from Olathe Police.

The check lane was made possible by grant funding from the Kansas Department of Transportation. Olathe officers were assisted by personnel from the Johnson County Sheriff's Office along with other agencies, both municipal and state that operate in Johnson County.

Olathe Police say they will continue to operate DUI check lanes and conduct saturation patrols throughout the year as part of their ongoing traffic safety program and their affiliation with the Kansas Department of Transportation , Bureau of Traffic Safety.

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DUI check lane announced in Johnson County

Posted: March 27, 2013 - 2:35am

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Operation 100 News - Mike Frizzell

Olathe Police will be conducting a DUI check lane on Friday, March 29th from 11 p.m. until 3 a.m..

Police say that during the check lane, all motorists in the designated area will be stopped and contacted in an effort to look for signs of impairment. Any drivers found in violation of the intoxicating liquor laws will be arrested. Drivers will also be checked for valid driver's licenses.

The check lane is a joint effort by the Olathe Police Department, Johnson County Sheriff's Office, Kansas Highway Patrol and other Johnson County municipal agencies.

The location of the check lane is not released and Operation 100 News WILL NOT report to location of the check lane.

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Overland Park Police Thanksgiving Mobilization results

Posted: November 28, 2012 - 3:29pm

The Overland Park Police Department has released their results of the Thanksgiving Mobilizations STEP (Special Traffic Enforcement Program). The campaign began on November 19th and lasted through November 25th.

The Kansas Highway Patrol released their results earlier this week.

During the campaign Officers were looking for DUI and seat belt violations. Officers also looked for child passenger seat violations, speeding, and alcohol related violations in an effort to reduce alcohol related auto accidents.

All information provided by the Overland Park Police Department.

Attention News Media LINK

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Kansas Highway Patrol releases Thanksgiving weekend results

Posted: November 26, 2012 - 3:41pm
Updated: November 26, 2012 - 4:07pm

The Kansas Highway Patrol has released their activity numbers for their Thanksgiving patrols. The Patrol and other local agencies participated in the Special Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP). The Kansas Department of Transportation provided a grant for the additional enforcement.

The reporting period for the holiday weekend began at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, November 21, and lasted through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, November 25. Troopers say they worked tow fatality crashes during that time. One of those fatal crashes was alcohol-related.

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These numbers are statewide for the Kansas Highway Patrol only. Other local agencies that participated in the holiday weekend STEP will be released separately.


Attention News Media LINK

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Check lane announced and results from last week's efforts

Posted: May 10, 2012 - 4:11am
Updated: May 10, 2012 - 4:30am

Photo submitted by Overland Park Police

The Overland Park Police Department announced that they will be conducting a DUI Check Lane, Friday night into early Saturday morning, May 11-12, 2012.

Police say they will have assistance from other local law enforcement agencies including; Lenexa, Merriam, Mission and Olathe.

A statement released Wednesday afternoon encourages people to designate a sober driver.

A similar check lane held last Friday night, May 4th, by the Johnson County Sheriff's Office, checked 362 cars. Deputies say they made 12 DUI arrests, two drug arrests, 1 for transporting an open container and one for driving while suspended.

The Olathe Police Department's Traffic Unit conducted a driver's license check lane and saturation patrol last Saturday night, May 5th. A statement released by Olathe police says that Officers issued 68 traffic citations during the effort, 37 of those citations were for no driver's license. Four were for driver's license suspensions, eight seat belt violations, two DUI arrests and two narcotics arrests.

Funding for most of these efforts is provided by a grant from the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT), designed to reduce alcohol related crashes in the State of Kansas

KDOT says, across the State of Kansas, fatality accidents are down 26.2% from the same time last year with much of the credit going to enforcement of the primary seat belt law and DUI enforcement.

Stay with Operation 100 News on this blog and on Twitter for the latest details as they become available. Remember where you head this news first, Operation 100 News, reporting the news to the public as it breaks.

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Checkpoints & Saturation Patrols planned for this weekend

Posted: May 1, 2012 - 11:33am
Updated: May 4, 2012 - 12:03pm

The Olathe Police Department's Traffic Unit has announced they will be conducting a driver's license check lane and saturation patrol as part of their ongoing efforts to reduce alcohol related crashes and remove intoxicated drivers from the roadways. The effort will be held on the evening of Saturday, May 5th.

Officers will set up the check lane in an effort to check motorists for valid driver's licenses, while also looking for signs of impairment, seat belt use.

Police say that anyone found to be driving without a valid driver's license will be accordingly charged and intoxicated motorists will be arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Anyone who observes erratic or dangerous driving in Olathe is always encouraged to contact the Olathe Police Department at 913-782-0720 or 911 for emergencies.

Funding for this even is provided through a grant from the Kansas Department of Transportation, designed to reduce alcohol related crashes in the state of Kansas.

All information provided by the Olathe Police Department's Traffic Unit.

-The Johnson County Sheriff's Office says they will also be conducting a checkpoint Friday night into early Saturday morning in the De Soto area.

-Overland Park Police will be conducting a Saturation Patrol, Saturday night into early Sunday morning.

-Kansas City, Missouri Police say they will be conducting a checkpoint sometime over the weekend.

Attention News Media LINK

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Serious early morning accident closes I-35

Posted: November 2, 2011 - 12:24am
Updated: November 2, 2011 - 4:22am

Southbound I-35 south of 95th Street, Lenexa, KS. 12:30am
Photo of the scene from Kansas City Scout

The Kansas Highway Patrol and Lenexa Police Department investigated a two vehicle injury accident that forced the closure of Interstate 35 at 95th Street in Lenexa for about two hours. The accident is reported to have occurred at 12:17 a.m. near highway mile marker 223.6 southbound

The Kansas Highway Patrol's preliminary accident report states that both vehicles were southbound on Interstate 35 near 95th Street. One of the vehicles was traveling at a "high rate of speed" when it rear ended a second car. The striking vehicle sustained "heavy damage" while the other sustained "moderate damage."

Three people were involved in the accident. The driver of the striking vehicle was the only occupant of that vehicle and was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries. That person has been identified as a 33-year-old, Olathe woman. Reports indicate that this woman was intoxicated and was wearing her seat belt at the time of the accident. The Highway Patrol continues to investigate her level of intoxication and says that charges are possible.

The two female occupants of the second vehicle were an 18-year-old driver and a 17-year-old passenger. Both sustained minor injuries and refused medical treatment at the accident scene.

While investigating this accident, Lenexa Police say they were blocking traffic from entering southbound Interstate 35 from 95th Street, when a vehicle swerved around the parked Police vehicle and entered the accident scene. That vehicle was stopped by the Highway Patrol and the driver, a 24-year-old female from Colorado Springs, Colorado, was arrested for Driving Under the Influence. She was booked into the Johnson County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

The Highway Patrol reopened southbound lanes of I-35 at 2:20 a.m.

Stay with Operation 100 News on this blog and on Twitter for the latest details as they become available. Remember where you heard this news first. Operation 100 News, reporting the news to the public as it breaks.

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Sunflower Showdown Saturation Patrol

Posted: October 21, 2011 - 10:27am

The Kansas Highway Patrol has announced that they will be conducting saturation patrol on Saturday, October 22.

Troopers are anticipating the added traffic on the Turnpike of Jayhawk and Wildcat fans along with regular travelers passing through the area. Extra Troopers will be in the area assisting with traffic control and then a post-game saturation patrol.

Lieutenant Scott Harrington says that drivers who are coming to Lawrence using westbound Interstate 70 use the West Lawrence exit (exit 202) due to ongoing construction of a bridge off the East Lawrence exit (exit 204).

After the game has ended, the Highway Patrol will be conducting a RAVE saturation patrol. RAVE is short for Roving Aggressive Violation Enforcement and is an effort to help reduce the number of impaired drivers on the roads and encourage safe driving practices. The Highway Patrol conducts a RAVE saturation patrol when troopers converge on a specific area with the primary focus on the detection of impaired drivers. This Saturday's RAVE deployment will be funded by an Impaired Driving Deterrence Program (IDDP) grant, courtesy of the Kansas Department of Transportation.

The Kansas Highway Patrol advises travelers to be prepared for delays, remain patient and always designate a sober driver.

Attention News Media LINK

KHP: Game Day Traffic Should Leave Early & Prepare for Delays

Press Release from the Kansas Highway Patrol

Construction zones add extra time to/from Jayhawk/Wildcat sporting events.

This weekend marks not only the Labor Day holiday weekend, but also the beginning of the college football season. With both Kansas State University and the University of Kansas playing at home this weekend, Kansas roads will see many people traveling to and from these games, as well as other destinations. There are some major road projects that gameday traffic should be aware of.

KU Jayhawk fans can expect traffic to be slow or delayed due to construction east of town. There is construction on the Kansas Turnpike I-70, in the area of mile marker 204. Both eastbound and westbound lanes have construction. To monitor the Kansas Turnpike's updates on traffic, you can go to their Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/KansasTurnpike.

K-State Wildcat fans traveling from the west should expect delays as they come into town on K-18, due to construction between Ogden and Manhattan. Watch for the Kansas Department of Transportation's message boards to notify you of delays or road closures, should there be an accident. You can also tune into the K-State Sports Radio Network, 101.5 FM or 1350 AM.
Regardless of whether you cheer on the Jayhawks, Wildcats, or another team this weekend, the Kansas Highway Patrol would like to offer these tips to help you enjoy the football season, and the holiday weekend safely.

• Leave early. Traffic will be heavy a few hours prior to kickoff.
• Expect delays in the areas mentioned above during both pre- and post-game traffic.
• Be patient and courteous in pre- and post-game traffic.
• Obey all traffic control signs in the construction zone. Watch for decreased speed limits and lane closure signs. Remember, citation amounts double in workzones.
• Add additional following distance within the construction zone and heavy traffic areas.
• Utilize a designated driver. Extra troopers are out as part of the Kansas Department of Transportation's Special Traffic Enforcement Program, and they will be watching for impaired drivers.

Lawrence Police plan DUI check lane Friday, August 26th

Lawrence Police have announced that they will be conducting a DUI check lane within in the city on Friday evening.

The Lawrence Police Department along with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office both taking part in the special enforcement effort which began August 19th and continues until Labor Day, September 5th. Law Enforcement Officers are on the lookout for anyone driving impaired, speeding and seat belt/child restraint violations.

The Kansas Department of Transportation is providing funding for overtime to allow agencies to increase patrols during the special effort.

All information provided by the Lawrence Police Department

Related Stories:
Shawnee Police announce DUI Crackdown (August 18 - September 5)
KCMO Police cracking down on Impaired Drivers (August 18 - September 5)

Kansas Highway Patrol joins other Law Enforcement Agencies to reduce Impaired Driving

Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. campaign will bring more troopers to the road

Beginning last week, the Kansas Highway Patrol and many other law enforcement agencies began participation in the Kansas Department of Transportation's (KDOT) Special Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP), which runs from August 18 through Labor Day, September 5. Troopers will be enforcing Kansas' impaired driving, occupant protection, and other laws.


The KHP is among more than 130 law enforcement agencies across the state who will participate in the Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. STEP campaign. In an effort to drastically reduce the number of preventable deaths and injuries that occur when alcohol is mixed with driving a vehicle or riding a motorcycle, troopers across the state will be participating in saturation patrols and check lanes.


It is illegal in Kansas to drive or attempt to operate a motor vehicle with a blood or breath alcohol concentration of .08 or higher. Penalties for impaired driving include loss of driving privileges, fines, court costs, and possible jail time. The more severe consequences of drinking and driving include injuring or killing yourself, an occupant of your vehicle, or the occupants of another vehicle.
The Patrol suggests taking the following precautions:

• If you plan to drive, do not drink.
• If you plan to drink, designate a non-drinking driver and give that person your keys.
• Never ride with a driver who has been drinking.
• Take a list of phone numbers with you for cabs or friends to call for a sober ride home.
• If possible, plan to spend the night at the event.
• If you are throwing a party, provide non-alcoholic alternatives, and never let guests drive drunk.
• Report impaired drivers to your local law enforcement agency.
• Always buckle up and properly secure children in their safety seats.

Information provided in a News Release by the Kansas Highway Patrol.

KCMO Police cracking down on impaired drivers Aug. 19-Sept. 5

PRESS RELEASE:

The sobering fact is that impaired driving contributes to nearly 30 percent of all Missouri traffic fatalities. In 2010, 234 people were killed and 957 seriously injured in crashes involving an impaired driver. In KC, 63 percent of all fatal accidents involved an impaired driver. That’s why the Kansas City Missouri Police Department will join other Missouri law enforcement agencies to crack down on drunk driving Aug. 19-Sept. 5, 2011.

The Kansas City Missouri Police Department will participate in statewide sobriety checkpoints and DWI saturation patrols enforcing Missouri’s DWI laws and keeping impaired drivers off the road.

Consequences of drunk driving include jail time, loss of their driver licenses, or being sentenced to use ignition interlocks. Insurance rates go up. Other financial hits include attorney fees, court costs, lost time at work, and the potential loss of job or job prospects. When family, friends and co-workers find out, violators can also face tremendous personal embarrassment and humiliation.

“Driving drunk is simply not worth all the consequences,” Sgt. Ron Podraza said. “Our message is simple and unwavering: You Drink and Drive. You Lose.”


For more information, please visit http://www.savemolives.com/


Related Stories:
Sobriety Check Lane in Olathe, August 19th 

Shawnee Police announce DUI Crackdown (August 18 - September 5)

Sobriety Check Lane in Olathe, August 19th

The Olathe Police Department has announced that they will be conducting a Sobriety Check lane on Friday, August 19th beginning at 11:30 p.m. and running until approximately 2:30 a.m. The Johnson County Sheriff's Department along with several other local Law Enforcement agencies will be assisting in the effort.

Police say that during the course of the check lane, all motorists at the designated area will be stopped and contacted in an effort to look for signs of intoxication. Those drivers who are in violation of the intoxicating liquor laws will be arrested. Motorists will also be checked for valid drivers licenses.

The Olathe Police Department, along with surrounding agencies, will continue to operate check lanes in an effort to educate the public and remove intoxicated drivers from the roadways.

The location for upcoming check lanes is never released ahead of time by Police.

All information provided by the Olathe Police Department.

Related Story: Shawnee Police announce DUI Crackdown (August 18 - September 5)

Shawnee Police announce DUI Crackdown

The Shawnee Police Department is warning drivers of an upcoming DUI Crackdown for August 18th through Labor Day, September 5th. There will be additional enforcement of Kansas drunk driving and other traffic laws as 150 local agencies and the Kansas Highway Patrol all participate in the crackdown. The effort is aimed at educating about impaired driving and removing impaired drivers from Kansas roadways.


Known as "Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest." the crackdown is underwritten by a grant from the Kansas Department of Transportation.


Each day, 61 people are injured and 3 people are killed on Kansas roads in alcohol-related crashes. According to KDOT, if you are involved in an alcohol-related-crash, in any capacity, you are two and one half times more likely to be injured and four and one half times more likely to be seriously injured or killed than you are involved in a crash where alcohol is not determined to be a factor. The ratio of death to injury in alcohol-related crashes is nearly four times higher than the death to injury ratio for non-alcohol related crashes.


According to Sergeant Jim Baker, the enforcement effort should remind drivers of several things:


If you're going to drink when away from home do it responsibly by planning ahead and lining someone up who is not going to be drinking to get you home. Don't wait until it's time to go home to ask. Chances are, if you do that, you will wind up with a driver who thinks he's sober enough to be driving, but may not be.


Picture families you know, and then consider how it would be to wake up every day to the memory of your decision to drive after drinking – just innocently having fun – which brought injury or death to one of them.

There are any number of traffic infractions and mechanical deficiencies we can use to pull you over even if you have not crashed or are not driving erratically. If we do and we detect a hint of alcohol you will be tested. If you fail the test you’re looking at a fine of $750 - $2,500, up to one year in jail, the suspension or even permanent loss of your driver’s license, and the installation of an ignition interlock device in your car. Imagine not being able to start your car without blowing into the interlock’s alcohol sensor several times during an afternoon’s errands. Don’t take the chance.

If you see suspicious driving behaviors, take note of location and direction, as well as the vehicle description, and call 911.

You can expect this department to enforce impaired driving laws all year-round.

Finally, always remember that everyone’s best protection against a drunk driver (even themselves) is to always wear their seat belt and properly restrain their children – every trip, every time. It saves lives and it’s the law.


All information provided by the Shawnee Police Department.