OVI Checkpoint Friday In Brook Park

BROOK PARK, OH — Brook Park Police will hold an OVI checkpoint on Friday, the department announced on Facebook. The checkpoint is funded by federal grants and is meant to deter drunk driving.

The department said in a Facebook post that nine people have been killed in impaired driving accidents in 2017 in Cuyahoga County.

"Officers respond to an average 130 alcohol related incidents each year. Alcohol related crashes account for 37 percent of all traffic deaths each year in Ohio. Ohio law also prohibits the operation of motor vehicles while under the influence of alcohol and illegal drugs," said Brook Park Patrolman George Kosakowski on Facebook. (To stay up to date on local stories, subscribe to the Patch Berea-Middleburg Heights newsletter. As news breaks and the story develops, you will be the first to receive updates from Patch.)

Fellow Cuyahoga County Police Department, Solon, released the following tips for avoiding drunk driving:

• Call a cab, Uber, or Lyft
• See if you can stay at a nearby hotel
• Call a friend of family member to pick you up
• If you're intoxicated at home, stay in your house
• If you're going out with a group, always designate a sober driver

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