Saturation Patrol Nets Six Arrests

Total BUII Arrests Hit 227 For Season

Marine Patrols converged on several Coos and Douglas county waterbodies last weekend looking for intoxicated boat operators and other boating violations. Six boaters were arrested in the three-day operation which concentrated on Tenmile Lake, Winchester Bay and the Umpqua River.

"Weather kept many people off the water on Friday and Saturday, but all in all, we believe we were successful," said Pat Rowland, Training and Enforcement Coordinator for the Oregon State Marine Board. "We got our message across - drinking and boating is not only dangerous but can result in hefty fines and citations."

Marine Patrol officers from Douglas, Coos, Jackson, Curry, Clackamas, Marion and Benton counties participated in the operation. The goal, said Rowland, was to contact as many boaters as possible. "We perform a routine boat exam, look for life jackets, sound-signaling devices and other required equipment. We also look hard for boat operators who have been drinking or using drugs and are legally intoxicated. Our officers are well trained to recognize impaired boaters and I think it showed in this operation," said Rowland.

Of the six Boating Under the Influence of Intoxicant (BUII) arrests, four were for illicit drugs. "We also arrested two individuals for possession of less than an ounce of marijuana," said Rowland.

If convicted of BUII, a boat operator can lose his or her boating privileges for up to three years and be fined up to $5,000. In addition, a conviction can count against a person's automobile driving record.

This was the fourth saturation patrol this year, and several more are scheduled in the coming weekends. "We look for popular waterbodies where we believe there may be a problem," said Rowland. "We've made 227 arrests this year already. We expect we'll meet or beat last year's record of 268."

The breakdown of arrests and citations is as follows:

Citations

PFDs - 22	Possession of Drugs - 2	Fire Extinguisher - 1
Cert. Of Numbers - 2	BUIIs - 6	Ventilation - 1
Fish Violations - 4	PWC Speed and Proximity - 5

Warnings

PFDs - 8	Numbers - 3	Certificate of Numbers - 4
Ventilation - 1	Sound Producing Device - 5	Slow-No Wake - 2