Sheriff: Imbibe responsibly on ‘Blackout’ Wednesday

Nov. 23—Thanksgiving Eve, by some other names, involves some form of drinking for some people. The tradition of meeting old friends at a nearby bar before Thursday’s family feast has garnered nicknames like Drinksgiving and Blackout Wednesday.

Sheriff Mike Bouchard, who spent part of his police career as a fatal crash investigator, said while there’s nothing wrong with meeting up for a drink to reminisce or reconnect with pals, he urges people of all ages to do so responsibly.

“It’s one of the worst nights of the year for drinking and driving,” he said. “A lot of people come into town for Thanksgiving and they want to meet up with old friends and maybe go to a bar. That 100% fine, as long as they don’t drive after drinking.”

Deputies patrolling traffic will take a zero-tolerance approach with those who are driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Bouchard said bar and restaurant owners must follow the state’s Dram Shop Law, which makes it illegal to serve alcohol to minors or visibly intoxicated adults.

Bouchard said bartenders don’t need to do breath tests to determine if a patron has overindulged. They’ve been trained to spot someone who has overindulged, even if they’re just arriving.

Other state laws have penalties for those who provide or sell alcohol to minors ranging from a fine of up to $1,000 and as much as 60 days behind bars for a first offense to a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and/or fines up to $5,000 if a minor dies as a result of drinking or a drinking-related accident.

In this day and age, with such ride services as Uber and Lyft, no one under the influence of drugs or alcohol should get behind the wheel, Bouchard said. A night in jail and a ticket for driving under the influence are just two reasons to tipple responsibly.

“Enjoy friends and a night out but don’t turn Thanksgiving into a terrible tragedy by getting into a crash that kills or injures you or someone else,” he said.

(c)2022 The Oakland Press, Sterling Heights, Mich. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.