Perry says it wrote few tickets duting Super Nats

By DEANNE JOHNSON Journal Staff Writer

SALEM — Two members of the three-person committee which brought the Steel Valley Super Nationals to Salem questioned Perry Township officials Monday about DUI checkpoints set up in the township during the event.

The highway patrol along with Perry police had checkpoints near the township hall on Friday night and on West State Street on Saturday, randomly pulling over drivers and checking them.

“We had a big event and didn’t want them chased away because we had a beer tent,” said Mike Grimstead, one of the events promoters.

Perry Township Police Chief Ray Stone said he had concerns after reading a memo from Salem police who had talked with Boardman Township, where the after-party had been held on past years. Stone said he was unsure what to expect so he brought out extra patrolmen on his department and looked for reinforcements.

Stone said he had simply asked the patrol if they planned to have extra people in the area and it was the Lisbon post commander, Lt. Gerry Thompson, who had planned the DUI checkpoints and asked Perry Township to help with them. Extra help was available from the patrol after money reportedly was transferred from the Canfield post to the Lisbon post due to the event.

According to Stone’s figures, 179 vehicles were stopped during 3 1/2 hours on Friday. One person was believed at the time to be DUI, but passed the test. Those without licenses on them were ran through the system. Only two tickets were written, according to Stone, one for a seat belt violation and the other for an expired license.

On Saturday, 173 vehicles were stopped out of more than 800 that came by. Stone said only one Perry Township ticket was written for someone without a motorcycle endorsement.

Planning for the worst after reading the memo, Stone said what happened in the past in Boardman was not what happened in Salem. No one was found drag racing on the four-lane bypasses and there were no crashes.

Dan Nye, another event promoter, offered to have Stone attend planning meetings next year with police in Salem so the township department is better informed.

After the meeting, Stone said the department had 53 additional man hours from the Steel Valley Super Nationals. Of those, 18 hours were overtime for full-time patrolmen at time and a half and the other 35 will be paid for part-time patrolmen.

Although that payroll has not been completed, fiscal officer Susan Johnston estimated the cost at about $850.