Thirty-two people were arrested in Bulloch County over a three-day period this weekend.
Booking reports show that from Friday, March 6 to Sunday, March 8, the Statesboro Police Department, the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office, and the Georgia State Patrol arrested thirty-two individuals on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
| DUI – Alcohol – 0.08% BAC or Less Safe | 18 |
| DUI – Alcohol Under 21 – 0.02% BAC | 6 |
| DUI – Drugs | 3 |
| DUI – Combo of 1-3 substances | 5 |
| 32 |
One of the individuals arrested for suspected DUI – Alcohol had three children in the car and was subsequently charged with three counts of DUI – Child Endangerment. One other individual was arrested for having an open container in his vehicle.
Only eight, or 25%, of the individuals arrested are local to Bulloch County. Twenty-six of the thirty-two are under the age of 30.
While GATAJam took place in Statesboro on Saturday, twenty-five of the thirty-two arrests occurred Friday night into early Saturday morning and on Sunday afternoon and evening.
In Georgia, a first-time DUI conviction is a misdemeanor offense and, upon conviction, can carry penalties including 24 hours to 12 months in jail, a $300-$1,000 fine (plus add-on fees), 12 months probation, 40 hours of community service, DUI Risk Reduction School, an Alcohol & Drug evaluation, and a license suspension for 12 months. Penalties are enhanced for subsequent DUI conviction within a five-year period.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 12,429 people died in alcohol-impaired driving traffic deaths in 2023, up from 10,874 lives in 2017. In Georgia, 27% of the state’s 1,491 crashes that year involved drivers with a BAC of 0.08+ g/dL. The numbers do not include crashes involving ‘less safe’ drivers or those under the influence of drugs.
