St. Mary's County Sheriff's deputies examine motorists passing through a sobriety checkpoint on Saturday looking for indications of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The checkpoint was conducted on MD Route 4 close to the Thomas Johnson Bridge—the main route from St. Mary's County to the popular party spots on Solomons Island. (Photo: Lt. Edward Willenborg, St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office)
LEONARDTOWN, Md. (April 28, 2008)—A sobriety checkpoint conducted on Saturday in St. Mary's County resulted in one arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol. William Thomas Franklin, 27, of Lexington Park, was arrested by Cpl. Mark Clark and charged with DUI.
Police say 730 vehicles passed through the checkpoint which was conducted on MD Route 4 at North Patuxent Beach Road in California. The location is a popular choice for police because of the high probability of vehicles returning to St. Mary's County from Solomons Island—a popular party spot.
In addition to Franklin, two other vehicles were pulled aside for further roadside sobriety testing. The drivers were given roadside sobriety tests and determined to be with in the legal limit to operate a motor vehicle.
Checkpoints were conducted throughout the tri-county area on Saturday by members of the Calvert County, Charles County, and St. Mary's County Sheriff's Offices.
Maryland State Police in Charles County also reported that they conducted saturation patrols on Sunday.