Fallen trooper mourned
Ralph William Carroll Sr., 59, of Stanleytown, died after he was involved in a two-vehicle accident shortly after 1 p.m. Friday near Dodge’s Store on U.S. 220 at Bassett Forks, aaccording to the Virginia State Police.
Carroll had worked for the state police since 1975 and worked in Dinwiddie County for a few years before coming back to Henry County, said state police Sgt. Mike Phillippi, who had known Carroll since 1973. Read more
The 29-year-old policeman, Eric Clay Hallstrom of Chesapeake, was one of two men who died in the single-vehicle crash. Police on Saturday identified the second victim as 21-year-old Miguel Ortiz, a Florida man based at Oceana Naval Air Station. Read more
Texting While Driving is Unsafe and Unlawful After July 1
DUI Punishments Also Enhanced
RICHMOND - Virginians who send text messages or emails while driving after July 1 will be violating the law and will face a $20 fine. The new law banning texting and emailing passed by the General Assembly has several exceptions including emergency vehicle operators, drivers reporting an emergency or a driver who is parked. Other than making texting while driving against the law, the legislature also made the criteria stricter for requiring an ignition interlock device. Read more
Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) Training June 30 – July 1, 2009 • Virginia Beach, VA The Virginia Beach Police Department will be hosting the 16-hour Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement training (ARIDE). This course will train law enforcement officers to observe, identify and articulate the signs of impairment related to drugs, alcohol, or combination of both, in order to reduce the number of impaired driving incidents as well as crashes which result in serious injuries and fatalities. Those attending this training will be given an advanced set of skills intended to aid in their arrest decision process of impaired drivers that are not impaired by alcohol but some other substance.
Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST) Training Opportunities July 6-10, 2009 • Newport News, VA; July 20-24, 2009 • Fredericksburg, VA;
August 24-28, 2009 • Bristol, VA; September 14 - 18, 2009 • Middletown, VA
Twelve 40-hour "Basic SFST" classes are being conducted across Virginia from February through August. Click the link for more information on the course and how to register.
Fundamentals of Crash Investigation and Reconstruction
July 6-17, 2009 • Henrico, VA;
August 3-14, 2009 • Nokesville, VA
The course fee is $85. Students receive a course notebook, traffic template and quick reference handbook. Transportation, lodging and meals are the responsibility of each student. The Department of Criminal Justice Services will award 34 elective and four legal hours upon completion of this course.
Advanced Crash Investigation and Reconstruction
August 24-28, 2009 • Fredericksburg, VA
Prerequisite for enrollment is successful completion of a basic two-week crash investigation course. The course fee is $40. The Department of Criminal Justice Services will award 36 hours of career development in-service credit upon completion of this course.
Motorcycle Crash Investigation and Reconstruction
September 14 – 18, 2009 • Roanoke, Virginia
Prerequisite for enrollment is successful completion of a basic two-week crash investigation course. There is no fee for the course. Students are responsible for their own transportation, lodging and meals. The Department of Criminal Justice Services will award career development in-service credit upon completion of this course.
In
the News...
Wrong-way driver on I-64 charged with DUI
Two people are recovering today after an intoxicated man drove the wrong way on Interstate 264, crashed into their car and then hit a state trooper, according to state police.
Operation Air, Land & Speed Returns to Virginia Interstates
State Police Targets Interstates 295, 85, 77, and Pocahontas 895 RICHMOND – Motorists will see an increase in Virginia State Police troopers along Interstates 295, 85, 77 and for the first time the Pocahontas 895 Toll Road. On Sunday, June 21 and Monday, June 22, state police will saturate the entire length of the targeted highways during the two-day enforcement blitz. Thetraffic safety initiative is intended to remind people of the need to slow down, buckle up, and drive safely and responsibly on Virginia’s interstates through high-visibility enforcement.
Virginia Traffic Fatalities Dramatically Decline Over Memorial Day Weekend Overall fatalities for the year also down significantly Preliminary numbers indicate that traffic fatalities on Virginia highways for the 2009 Memorial Day weekend are the lowest in at least 10 years. As of noon May 26, 2009, five fatal crashes have been reported to the Virginia State Police. Last year, a total of 18 people died in 14 crashes during the same holiday period. The 2008 death toll was the highest since 1998. During the past decade, the Memorial Day weekend has averaged 12.8 traffic deaths.
Women's Biggest Hidden Health Threat
Automobile accidents — not breast cancer or heart disease — are the leading cause of death for women under 35
Texting While Driving Remains 'Serious Issue,' Officials Say Driving while texting remains a "serious issue" on the nation's roadways, transportation officials said Monday, days after a Boston-area trolley operator failed to see a red light while reportedly sending his girlfriend a text message and smashed into the back of another trolley, injuring 50 people. For every two seconds a driver's eyes are off the road, a motorist is twice as likely to be involved in a crash, said Troy Green, national spokesman for AAA.
Maryland Gives Motorists "Bucks For Buckling Up"
State highway safety officials, along with Maryland State Police and other agencies, are handing out dollar bills to motorists they spot wearing their seat belts, which is required by law in Maryland.
The Maryland State Highway Administration Safety Office held a "Buckle Up for a Buck" event at a shopping center in Forestville in Prince George's County Monday. Another event is scheduled for Thursday in Montgomery County.
Man killed in I-264 crash was recent police academy grad
