State troopers write hundreds of tickets, make more than 2 dozen arrests during SITW weekend

Posted: May 22, 2023 / 03:56 PM EDT

Updated: May 24, 2023 / 02:14 PM EDT

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – As performers lit up stages along the Oceanfront during the Something in the Water festival, Virginia State Police lit up Interstates 264 and 64 between Norfolk and the Oceanfront.

Through a Freedom of Information Act request, 10 On Your Side discovered troopers issued hundreds of summonses and made 30 arrests.

According to the data released to WAVY, from the morning of Thursday, April 27 through Sunday night, April 30, Virginia State Police made 559 traffic stops, resulting in 655 summonses, 30 arrests and 195 warnings.

Compare that to the weekend before (April 13-16) when troopers wrote 85 summonses and arrested three people.

The arrests during the SITW weekend included one charge of shooting or stabbing with intent to kill or maim, three charges of possession of a firearm by a felon, one charge of abuse/neglect of a child, seven DWI charges and one charge of injuring another/causing death while racing.

We found a lot of lead feet in the report as well – 147 drivers received normal speeding tickets and 197 exceeded 20 mph over the speed limit, which is reckless driving.

Thirty-seven people were caught driving on a suspended license, 24 had no license, 151 failed to have a car inspection and 152 drivers had an expired registration.

Those caught could be singing the blues as court dates approach. While the Commonwealth could cash in, State Police could not give us a total amount for the summonses issued, saying that is something to be determined by the courts. However, they did tell us that the revenue of all the summons issued by a trooper go directly to the educational fund of Virginia.