News brief: First day trooper’s first stop nets suspected drunken driver

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Troopers are preparing for holiday emphasis patrols, targeting impaired drivers.

The Washington State Patrol wants to remind everyone to plan ahead and not drink, or use marijuana or other drugs and then drive.

Just last week, a brand new Chehalis-area trooper made his a DUI arrest on his very first traffic stop on his first day on the job.

Trooper Jeff Wallace was participating in orientation, to familiarize himself with his newly assigned beat in Chehalis on Tuesday, according to the Washington State Patrol.

While driving through  the city of Toledo, Trooper Wallace observed the vehicle in front him driving on the shoulder and repeatedly crossing the center line. He activated his emergency lights, stopped and contacted the driver. After conducting a field interview and field sobriety tests Wallace arrested the driver on suspicion of DUI.

Trooper Wallace is from Vancouver, Washington. He graduated from the 105th Trooper Basic Class on November 19, 2015.

The state patrol offers the following advice to the motoring public:

• Call 911 if you suspect a driver is DUI.
• Plan ahead and have a designated sober driver to get you around.
• Call a taxi or use some other public transportation resource.
• If you are hosting a party, plan ahead. Make sure your guests have a designated driver or allow them to stay with you.

Tags: ,

4 Responses to “News brief: First day trooper’s first stop nets suspected drunken driver”

  1. Free Air says:

    Dang Straight getting a drunk off the road before they kill someone is something to be Very Proud of.
    Well done Trooper! Jail all these pukes you can!

  2. Dave L. says:

    Hey I got hit by a drunk driver on the side walk as a child. I Forever have a hip problem, it’s just as bad as a child molestor harming your child. Just imagine this drunk slamming into your family member as a child and hitting him or her and injurying. Them for life. When there are self driving cars DUI’s will be History, until then dont drink and drive. The hip you hurt can last a life time.

  3. Disappointed Joe says:

    What a disgusting thing to be proud of. Help a motorist out? Out of gas, lady with flat, ride for broke down/stranded driver. Those are things to be proud of.

  4. Some dude says:

    gee wiz what a cawinkadink put that in da papers!