News Releases

Holiday Alcohol Task Force Enforcement Results – Week Four; Two Impaired Drivers Crash Into Police Cruisers

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, December 14, 2016

The officers of the Montgomery County Police Alcohol Holiday Task Force have been devoting their full time and attention to detecting alcohol-related offenses this holiday season.  During this past week's Task Force, officers arrested 45 people for driving under the influence of alcohol.  Also during this time, there were two incidents where impaired drivers crashed into police cruisers; fortunately, no one was injured.  These incidents are summarized below:

• On December 11 at approximately 2:41 a.m., a Holiday Alcohol Task Force officer was assisting patrol officers with an impaired-driver traffic stop in the area of Georgia Avenue and Dennis Avenue in Silver Spring; the person was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.  During this traffic stop, a passing Toyota Camry sideswiped a patrol officer's cruiser (unoccupied) and then fled the scene.  The Task Force officer entered his patrol cruiser and drove to locate the Camry.  The officer found the Camry in the area of Georgia Avenue and Forest Glen Road and initiated a traffic stop.  The officer approached the driver and told him to place the car in park.  The driver placed the vehicle in reverse and the Camry collided with the officer's unoccupied patrol car.  Hector Orlando Romero Romero, age 23, of 15th Avenue in Hyattsville, was arrested and charged with driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol (DUI) and other traffic-related offenses.  He consented to a breath test which indicated a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of (.19).  The legal BAC limit is (.08) in Maryland.

• On December 11 at approximately 3:39 a.m., a Holiday Alcohol Task Force officer from the Gaithersburg Police Department was responding to a call from a resident who was reporting a possible impaired driver operating a Ford Focus in the area of Great Seneca Highway and Longdraft Road in Gaithersburg.  The Task Force officer located the vehicle making a right turn onto Mateny Road and crossing the center line into oncoming traffic.  The motorist then crossed back over the center line and struck a curb and center median as the officer turned on his patrol car's emergency lights and siren to initiate a traffic stop.  The Focus increased its speed and traveled approximately 20 yards, rear-ending a parked car.  The operator continued to press the accelerator, causing the wheels to spin as the vehicle had driven into the parked vehicle.  The driver placed the Focus in reverse, accelerated, and struck the officer's unoccupied patrol car.  He then placed the car back in drive and collided with a curb in the area of Mateny Road and Cinnamon Drive.  He was removed from the vehicle by officers as he continued to apply the gas.  Delio Severo Hilario-Millan, age 49, was arrested and charged with driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol (DUI) and other traffic-related offenses.  He consented to a breath test which indicated a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of (.18).  The legal BAC limit is (.08) in Maryland.

Below are some results from week four of the Holiday Task Force.

December 7, 2016 - December 10, 2016

• 45 - Arrests for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol (DUI)

• 1 - Civil Alcohol Citation issued to adult for possession of alcohol under the age of 21

• 8 - Criminal Citations issued to adults for selling alcohol to a minor in a business

RLI

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Release ID: 16-354
Media Contact: mcpnews 
Categories: impaired-driving