Columbus avoids traffic deaths during holiday that left 11 dead in Georgia

The city of Columbus avoided a traffic fatality during the Christmas holiday travel period but there were 11 traffic deaths across the state, authorities said.

The Motor Squad/Bike Patrol at the Columbus Police Department noted the results of a traffic detail with reducing injuries on the roadway. While the holiday travel period started at 6 p.m. Dec. 23 and ended at midnight Monday, Columbus officers were on the streets from Dec. 19-31.

“This was a very successful detail in that impaired drivers were taken off of the roadways in Columbus, Ga., during the holiday season and a large number of drivers came into contact with law enforcement,” Police Lt. T.C. Dent said in a release. “The totality of the work done of this detail achieved the most desired result, which was zero fatal or serious injury crashes during the 2016 Christmas holiday period.”

During its Impaired Driver Detail, Columbus officers arrested 25 motorists for driving under the influence , issued 577 citations and made 23 other arrests.

Across the state, Georgia State Troopers investigated eight crashes in Cherokee, Lowndes, Paulding, Laurens, Berrien, Coweta, Atkinson and Baker counties. Three more deaths were investigated by Cobb and Henry counties police departments and in College Park.

Troopers investigated 372 crashes that led to 175 injuries. At least 183 motorists were arrested for driving under the influence during the travel period.

This story was originally published January 3, 2017 at 4:30 PM with the headline "Columbus avoids traffic deaths during holiday that left 11 dead in Georgia."