Beaufort Co. had over a dozen alcohol-related arrests ahead of July 4, data show
Ahead of Independence Day, at least 10 of the 44 people in the Beaufort County Detention Center were charged over the weekend with driving under the influence.
In addition to the 10 DUI arrests, there were at least two people charged with public drunkenness and one arrested for having an open container. Two more were charged for having alcohol with a broken seal in their cars.
Rates of deaths in crashes involving alcohol are higher in South Carolina than nationally, according to 2018 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And the CDC says that from 2009 to 2018, such crashes killed 3,299 people in South Carolina.
In Beaufort County over last year’s Fourth of July weekend, nine people were charged with a DUI, along with one boating under the influence charge and two public drunkenness arrests.
If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol dependency, support can be found by calling the free 24-hour substance abuse hotline at 1-800-662-4357.
