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Drunk Driving Campaign Results In 1,513 DWI Arrests

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Authorities say a campaign to crack down on impaired driving from Aug. 21-Sept. 7 resulted in more than 1,500 arrests across Minnesota for DWI.

During that same time period last year, there were 1,340 arrests for DWI. This year's campaign also included five traffic deaths where alcohol was involved, a mother who was driving drunk with her child in the car and a driver arrested who was at nearly five time times the legal limit for driving in Minnesota.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety says this year, there were a total of 1,513 DWI arrests from Aug. 21-Sept. 7. Authorities say fatal crashes involving impaired drivers included two teenagers who were hit by an alleged drunk driver in Meeker County on Aug. 25. A 17-year-old was killed by an alleged drunk driver in Blue Earth County on Aug. 27, a 38-year-old allegedly under the influence of alcohol died Aug. 29 in a single-vehicle crash in Stearns County and a 39-year-old under the influence died after hitting a construction barrel and driving off a curve on Sept. 6.

As many as 300 agencies were involved in the end of summer DWI campaign. Authorities say one drunk driver was arrested for going 126 miles per hour in a 70 miles per hour zone in Mower County. A minor in Morrison County was arrested for drunk driving after registering a blood alcohol content of .243.

The Minnesota State Patrol had 253 arrests during the campaign. The St. Paul Police Department led Twin Cities agencies with 47 arrests, while Minneapolis had 42.

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