Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Conservation Police officers arrested 25 boaters for operating under the influence and another five motorists for driving under the influence as part of enforcement efforts during the recent 4th of July holiday weekend on Illinois waterways and at state parks, recreation areas, fish and wildlife areas and other IDNR-managed sites.
In addition to the OUI and DUI arrests, Conservation Police officers (CPOs) issued 519 citations for other offenses and issued 776 written warnings statewide while on patrol during the weekend, July 1-4.
“The hot sunny days led to thousands of boaters out on the state’s waterways this weekend”, said IDNR Conservation Police Chief Rafael Gutierrez. “While there were a few who made poor decisions and were arrested for OUI or DUI, the majority of those we came across were enjoying the holiday responsibly and safely, which is what we want to see.”
CPOs also investigated 14 boating accidents on Illinois waters during the holiday weekend and performed routine safety inspections of over 2,000 vessels.
Offenses for which other citations were issued ranged from possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia, underage drinking and disorderly conduct to illegal fishing and a variety of boat safety and boating law violations.
