TRAFFIC STOPS RESULT IN DRIVING WHILE IMPAIRED CHARGES, ADDING TO DECEMBER’S TOTAL

The Locust Police Department recently made traffic stops that discovered the drivers were impaired.  This brings December’s total to 5 DWI charges.

In the early morning hours of December 17th, a vehicle driven by Ms. Morgan Taylor Gravitte of Albemarle was stopped in the Hickory Ridge sub-division after observing the vehicle suspiciously driving into the neighborhood in the early morning hours and observing  a minor traffic violation.

Upon stopping the vehicle, Locust Police smelled the odor of alcohol inside the vehicle.  After further investigation, Ms. Gravitte was requested to give a breath sample into an Alco-Sensor portable breath device.  Ms. Gravitte blew a positive level of alcohol  concentration.

Although Ms. Gravitte was under the legal limit of alcohol impairment prescribed by the state of North Carolina, Ms. Gravitte was cited for Provisional Driving While Impaired based on the North Carolina statute that it is against the law for any individual  under the age of 21 to operate a vehicle with alcohol remaining in their system.  Ms. Gravitte was also cited for Driving Outside of a Restriction on her license and issued a written warning for having an Inoperable Registration Plate Light.

A passenger, Ms. Erin Michelle Burleyson of Mount Pleasant was cited for Aiding & Abetting Provisional Driving While Impaired as well as Allowing an Unlicensed Driver to Drive.

In the mid-day hours of December 18th, a vehicle operated by Mr. James Ryan Dennis was stopped after observing his vehicle travel left of the center line and driving 47 mph in a 35 mph zone.

After smelling the odor of alcohol in the vehicle and finding open containers of alcohol, Mr. Dennis was requested to perform roadside field sobriety tests.  Mr. Dennis was placed under arrest for Driving While Impaired and transported to Stanly County Jail.   There Mr. Dennis blew a .10 on Intoximeter, .02 higher than North Carolina’s legal limit.

Mr. Corie Stanback, a passenger in Mr. Dennis’ vehicle, was cited for Possessing an Open Container of Alcohol in a vehicle.