Pre Memorial Day sobriety checkpoint

Sheriff’s deputies, troopers and police officers will send a message about not drinking and driving during the Memorial Day holiday by holding a sobriety checkpoint and saturation Tuesday night, a sergeant said.

Several deputies working overtime will saturate roads from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. where frequent DUI arrests occur, said Sgt. Michael Rodgers.

Drivers will be checked for sobriety at the checkpoint from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Rutherford Boulevard between Southeast Broad Street and South Church Street.

Memorial Day kicks off summer and an increase in drinking alcohol and driving, he said.

“We’re going to take enforcement early to set the tone,” Rodgers said.

“Because we realize there is a significant increase in driving by drugs, we will be staffing our checkpoint with drug recognition experts who are trained in detection of drug-impaired drivers,” Rodgers said.

Overtime for the deputies will be paid through a grant by the Tennessee Highway Safety Office.