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Photo by Hannah Styles/SMT WNC Regional DWI Task Force’s Ellen Pitt speaks at Monday’s press conference raising awareness for “Blue Wednesday,” where officers across WNC will be out at 6 p.m. with blue lights on at locations where someone was killed or seriously injured in a DWI involved accident.
Hannah Styles
hstyles@thesmokymountaintimes.com
On Monday, the WNC Regional DWI Task Force held a conference in Waynesville to announce a new operation. Thanksgiving Eve, Nov. 23 is called by some “Blackout Wednesday” or “Drinksgiving Eve” and the WNC Regional DWI Task Force’s goal was to turn “Blackout Wednesday” blue.
At Monday’s press conference law enforcement from Swain, Macon, Haywood, Buncombe, and other western counties gathered at the Haywood County Courthouse to raise awareness of the event and of the dangers from impaired driving.
Speakers included Waynesville Police Department Chief David Adams, NC Representative Mike Clampitt, WNC Regional DWI Task Force’s Ellen Pitt, District Attorney Ashley Welch, Asheville Police Department’s Lt. Anne Fowler, NC GHSP Director Mark Ezzell, NC State Highway Patrol’s Fst Sgt. Brent Hipp, and Haywood County’s Sheriff Elect Bill Wilke.
The DWI Task Force believes using catchy terms for drinking before or on the holidays preys on young people who then drink and get behind the wheel.
“The Urban Dictionary defines Thanksgiving as ‘Drinksgiving’ and Thanksgiving Eve as ‘Blackout Wednesday’ as these terms target college kids,” said Ellen Pitt of WNC Regional DWI Task Force.
The District Attorney’s Office wants you to know that they will prosecute you to the full extent of the law if you are caught driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
“Our office has a no-tolerance policy for driving while impaired or driving while impaired on intoxicating substances including opiates and pills. We will not tolerate it and we are here to support law enforcement and to let you know that if you are caught over the holiday season that we will prosecute you,” said District Attorney Ashely Hornsby Welch.
A Haywood County Highway Patrol Officer provided some startling statistics about deaths due to drinking and driving.
“On average, every 45 minutes someone is killed by an impaired driver. The person killed happens right here in our home county and that person killed is part of us. Part of our family, part of our friends, and part of our community,” NC State Highway Patrol’s Fst Sgt. Brent Hipp said. “When there is a victim to an impaired driver it affects more than that family, it affects our community. It is something that we strive to take as many impaired drivers off the road.”
Across WNC, simultaneously at 6 pm, on Wednesday, Nov. 23 patrol cars from multiple agencies were stationed at the exact locations of DWI/speeding fatal and serious injury wrecks, with blue lights flashing.
Many of those patrol cars were driven by the officers who actually worked that wreck and had to deliver devastating news to a family, just before the holidays. In one instance, an officer returned 25 years after a fatal wreck to man the patrol car.
“I ask in the names of all of these innocent victims and in the names of all of the officers who have given their lives for your safety that you drive safely and soberly through the holidays,” Ellen Pitt said. “Let this operation be a solemn reminder to celebrate the holidays with joy but please don’t turn the holidays into a nightmare for someone else.”