Wednesday, July 1, 2015

10 Boat Operators Cited For BWI During Operation Dry Water

DES MOINES – The effort by state, federal and local law enforcement agencies to enforce Iowa's boating while intoxicated law as part of the national Operation Dry Water campaign resulted in making contact with more than 1,400 boaters on 380 vessels.

"The number of our boater contacts were higher this year versus previous years because of favorable boating conditions," said Susan Stocker, boating law administrator and education coordinator for the Iowa DNR.

Of the vessels contacted, officials issued 161 warnings or citations and made 10 arrests for boating while intoxicated.

Last year, nearly three out of four of Iowa's boating fatalities involved alcohol.

In 2014, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and its partners contacted more than 350 vessels containing 1,100 boaters resulting in two BWI arrests and 59 citations or warnings as part of Operation Dry Water.

The DNR has partnered with the U.S. Coast Guard, Wisconsin and Illinois departments of natural resources, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and local sheriffs and police departments as part of previous Operation Dry Water campaigns.

MEDIA CONTACT: Susan Stocker, Boating Law Administrator and Education Coordinator, Law Enforcement Bureau, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, 515-725-8477 or 515-313-6439.