70 charged in Durham with DWI over holiday weekend

The North Carolina State Highway Patrol in Durham cited 70 drivers on driving while impaired charges over the extended holiday weekend, the agency said Tuesday.

Nine troopers assigned to the Highway Patrol's Impaired Driving Offenses initiative charged drivers of 69 passenger vehicles and one commercial motor vehicle from Wednesday evening through Monday.

The Durham County office of the state Highway Patrol reallocated officers during the period to provide maximum coverage during late-night hours, when drunken drivers are more likely to be on highways, the agency said.