12-10-2013, 12:10 PM
KINGMAN, Ariz. -- A recent Operating Under the Influence checkpoint on the Colorado River resulted in six arrests and found 32 percent of operators had consumed alcohol.
Arizona Game and Fish, Mohave County Sheriff's Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Lake Havasu City Police Department and the Arizona Department of Public Safety were enforcing Arizona's OUI legal limit of a .08 blood-alcohol content.
The June 8 checkpoint was held at the I-40 Bridge near Topock.
Six OUI arrests were made; five for exceeding the Arizona legal limit of a .08 blood-alcohol content, and one for operating a boat while under the influence of drugs.
The checkpoint involved 82 watercraft contacts. Overall compliance for meeting the boating regulation requirements was 68 percent. The most common violations were not having a fire extinguisher (15) and not having a Type IV throwable flotation device (6).
While a Type IV throwable can be purchased for about $10, when tickets are issued, not having one on board can run about $148 in the Kingman and Bullhead City justice courts.
Velma Holt, west sector supervisor for the Game and Fish Kingman office, said every violation can be avoided.
"The regulations outline everything needed on a watercraft and those taking to the water should assign a designated operator," she explained. "These regulations are in place for a reason. There are a lot of potential dangers, not the least of which is the sheer number of boats using a limited amount of space."
Holt also mentioned cold water temperatures, alcohol, and inexperienced boaters as other potential safety issues.
Holt's primary concern, however, was the fact that nearly one of every three operators had consumed some alcohol.
"With this heat and the amount of traffic, those figures can be problematic," she stated. "It is important to remember the same people operating these boats are often the same folks driving a car when they come off the water."
Three citations were issued for children 12-and-under not wearing a life jacket and two for insufficient life jackets.
For those interested in taking a boating education class, visit the Game and Fish web site: www.azgfd.gov/boating.
Arizona Game and Fish, Mohave County Sheriff's Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Lake Havasu City Police Department and the Arizona Department of Public Safety were enforcing Arizona's OUI legal limit of a .08 blood-alcohol content.
The June 8 checkpoint was held at the I-40 Bridge near Topock.
Six OUI arrests were made; five for exceeding the Arizona legal limit of a .08 blood-alcohol content, and one for operating a boat while under the influence of drugs.
The checkpoint involved 82 watercraft contacts. Overall compliance for meeting the boating regulation requirements was 68 percent. The most common violations were not having a fire extinguisher (15) and not having a Type IV throwable flotation device (6).
While a Type IV throwable can be purchased for about $10, when tickets are issued, not having one on board can run about $148 in the Kingman and Bullhead City justice courts.
Velma Holt, west sector supervisor for the Game and Fish Kingman office, said every violation can be avoided.
"The regulations outline everything needed on a watercraft and those taking to the water should assign a designated operator," she explained. "These regulations are in place for a reason. There are a lot of potential dangers, not the least of which is the sheer number of boats using a limited amount of space."
Holt also mentioned cold water temperatures, alcohol, and inexperienced boaters as other potential safety issues.
Holt's primary concern, however, was the fact that nearly one of every three operators had consumed some alcohol.
"With this heat and the amount of traffic, those figures can be problematic," she stated. "It is important to remember the same people operating these boats are often the same folks driving a car when they come off the water."
Three citations were issued for children 12-and-under not wearing a life jacket and two for insufficient life jackets.
For those interested in taking a boating education class, visit the Game and Fish web site: www.azgfd.gov/boating.