By Patrick Yost
Editor

    Law enforcement officials are estimating that thousands of vehicles were stopped during a three hour road block at the intersection of the Madison by–pass and East Washington Street and Bethany Road.
    According to Capt. Kenny Stewart, Morgan County Sheriff’s Office, the “safety check” was scheduled as part of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety’s Central Region Traffic Enforcement Network. The road block was manned last Thursday from approximately 7 p.m to 10 p.m. All lanes of traffic were slowed and officers were tasked with checking safety belt use, child care restraint use and proper licensing and registration.
    The road block also resulted in the arrest of Avery Deon Cooper, 29, Madison on charges of possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute. According to Corp. Wes Thompson, City of Madison Police Department, Cooper was arrested and charged after Officer Stacey Eaton allegedly observed Cooper throw two plastic bags of suspected crack cocaine from his vehicle as he neared the road block. Thompson said the suspected cocaine was retrieved.
    According to Stewart more than 50 officers from various jurisdictions were used in the operation. A mobile intox unit was at the scene. One DUI arrest was made, Stewart said.
    The operation is part of a state-wide initiative to provide awareness for proper safety equipment, Stewart said. “We’re trying to make the public aware of DUI and child safety restraints,” he said.

PUBLISHED IN THE FEBBRUARY 5, 2009 EDITION