Teton County sees increase in DUIs
JACKSON (WNE) — Law enforcement officers accustomed to a quieter shoulder season say they’ve been busier than expected responding to calls of people drinking and driving.
The number of DUI arrests since April 1 has hit double digits, which represents an uptick, according to Teton County Sheriff Matt Carr.
Between April 1 and May 10, the sheriff’s office has made 15 DUI arrests, according to data provided by Dustin Richards, deputy sheriff and IT manager for the sheriff’s office.
Fifteen DUI arrests were also recorded for the same time period in 2023.
Recent years have been busier for patrol cars. During the same springtime period, there were only nine arrests in 2022, 13 in 2021, 1 in 2020, five in 2019 and seven in 2018.
“It would seem that in the last couple weeks, we’ve seen an uptick,” Carr told the Jackson Hole Daily.
Four of the 15 DUIs occurred in one week, between April 30 and May 7.
“It’s getting regular,” Carr said. “It’s supposed to be off-season.”
The majority of those arrested are area residents. He theorized the windy, cloudy and wet spring temperatures may have had some people abusing alcohol while trying to cope with a feeling of endless winter.
Lt. Russ Ruschill of the Jackson Police Department said the agency is getting busier, evidenced by a rise in the number of reports written weekly, which he attributed to the opening of Yellowstone National Park’s west and north entrances. The south entrance opened Friday.
This story was published on May 13, 2024.