‘Two Too Many’ aims to keep local roads safe

  • Deby Jo Ferguson • Clay County Progress Team at first station at Clay/Macon county line at Black Gap New Year’s Eve at 7 p.m. includes officers from surrounding counties and the State Highway Patrol.
    Deby Jo Ferguson • Clay County Progress Team at first station at Clay/Macon county line at Black Gap New Year’s Eve at 7 p.m. includes officers from surrounding counties and the State Highway Patrol.
  • Deby Jo Ferguson • Clay County Progress Officers looking over the portable testing station which traveled to all set up stations on Dec. 31 in a joint effort to make the streets safer due to DUIs that could occur during the New Year’s Eve celebration .
    Deby Jo Ferguson • Clay County Progress Officers looking over the portable testing station which traveled to all set up stations on Dec. 31 in a joint effort to make the streets safer due to DUIs that could occur during the New Year’s Eve celebration .

    Staff

    Report

     

    Over the New Year’s holiday, Clay County Sheriff’s Office conducted a ‘Two Too Many,’ campaign in an effort to keep motorists safe. The effort netted only one DWI in the arrests, including one that resulted in drug and assault charges.

    On Dec. 30 and morning of Jan. 1, the operation was conducted around Clay County by area law enforcement in conjunction with the N.C. Governor’s Highway Safety Program, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and the WNC Regional DWI Task Force.

    Clay County Sheriff’s Sgt Steven Smith coordinated the operation which included participants from the N.C. Highway Patrol, Macon County Sheriff’s Office, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Forest Service.

    A total of 25 law enforcement officers were involved with this event which Sheriff Mark Buchanan said was to keep those driving drunk off the roadways on New Years eve.

    “‘Operation Two Too Many’ involved setting up multiple checking stations around Clay County,” said Buchanan. “The vast majority of folks passing through these checking stations were law abiding, with most expressing their appreciation for law enforcement keeping the roadways safe,” he said. “Surprisingly, there was only one arrest for DWI.”

    Additionally, the checking stations resulted one driving while license revoked, six driving without a driver’s license, a fugitive from justice out of Florida and one arrest relating to felony drug possession.

    Karen Lea McDaniel, 46, of Hayesville, was arrested after it was discovered she was wanted out of Tallahassee for felony battery of a police officer and drug offenses. McDaniel was charged in Clay County via a Fugitive Warrant and given a $10,000 secured bond, according to the press release.

    In another incident, Haley Grace Benefield, 23, of Hayesville, was arrested for felony possession of methamphetamine, assault on a government official,resist-delay-obstruct an officer, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving with no operator’s license. Benefield was held without bond.

    Buchanan said Benefield’s assault charge was a result of her biting an arresting officer who subsequently had to be seen at the emergency room.

    The sheriff says the lack of DWI arrests from operation “Two Too Many” is seen as a positive.

    “During this operation social media was ablaze with postings warning of these checking stations. Regardless, the measurement of success for any traffic enforcement activity is to make our streets and highways safe for the motoring public,” said Buchanan. “This was certainly accomplished in Clay County while bringing in the new year, as evidenced by only one drunk driver found traveling the roadways and no reported traffic accidents’