The number of alcohol-related arrests in North Dakota climbed in 2006, with such cases accounting for four of every 10 arrests, North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem said Monday.
"These are appalling statistics," said Stenehjem, who added that drunken-driving arrests increased across every legal drinking age group last year, with the age 65 and older category showing the highest increase at 31.6 percent.
Overall, DUI arrests increased by 9.4 percent, from 5,923 in 2005 to 6,480 in 2006, Stenehjem said. A total of 119 drivers received a fourth DUI conviction in seven years.
"Drinking and driving is a choice. We all know about choosing a designated driver, so there simply is no excuse for choosing to drive drunk," said Stenehjem, who vowed to push for tougher penalties.
Col. Mark Nelson, the state Highway Patrol superintendent, said drunken driving accounts for about half the highway deaths in the state every year.
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"It's killing our North Dakota citizens," he said.
While the total number of drug arrests in North Dakota changed little between 2005 and 2006, methamphetamine-related arrests fell by almost 50 percent, said Stenehjem, adding the drop was most likely due to state and federal enforcement efforts as well as limits placed on the sale of over-the-counter medications used to make the drug.
A total of 786 violent crimes were reported in North Dakota last year, a jump of 30.8 percent from 2005, according to Stenehjem.
Nonetheless, North Dakota maintained its ranking as the safest state in the country as far as violent crime per capita, with such crimes comprising
6 percent of the total crimes reported, according to Stenehjem.
Readers can reach Forum reporter
Dave Olson at (701) 241-5555. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 4 of 10 N.D. arrests tied to drinking Dave Olson 20071106
