State patrol gives Stennis sailors stern warning about drunken driving

Ed Friedrich writes:

State Trooper Russ Winger warned sailors aboard the USS Stennis last week
that if they drink and drive in Kitsap County, they’ll be caught and, at the least, their Navy careers will be over.

Winger was invited to the aircraft carrier to speak about DUI prevention,
aggressive driving and safe driving. The sailors, who were deployed to the
Middle East and Western Pacific, hadn’t driven in seven months.

Winger has lived and worked here all his life. He likes the military. But
don’t expect him to go easy on them if they’re driving drunk.

“We’re like sharks in the water, looking for blood,” he said.

If a sailor gets busted for drinking and driving, they can expect to be
booked, go before their command for punishment, not to mention
embarrassment, have their car impounded for 12 hours, and spend at least
$5,000 for the ordeal.

“Don’t come out here thinking we’re not going to do our jobs,” Winger said.

He said the one thing he does that he knows makes a difference is taking an
impaired driver off the road.

The Navy makes it easier to avoid DUIs by offering free rides home, and
hundreds of ride cards were handed out as the sailors got off the ship
Friday.

“We take prisoners, we really do,” Winger said. “We don’t like to do it, but we’re going to do it. I hope I don’t have to arrest anybody here because I know the gravity for someone in the military. It’ll cost a lot of money and ruin a career.”

Cops aren’t dumb, Winger said. They know where the bars are how to get to
them.

“Escape routes are narrow,” he said. “The only people out after midnight are drunks and cops and it’s likely they’ll meet up somewhere.”

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